Shadows of The Past
by Master of the Tamers
Summary: Up Dated" After barely saving Rumiko for her curse and near death, Matt and Rena returned him to find it on fire with the Thunder Splats logo in front of the house. But what never of them could have known at the time this would lead to Matt final test.
1. Chapter one: Into the Shadows

Disclaimer: Yo I don't own Digimon.  
  
Me: Hey everyone, I'm sorry this story take me so long to get out, but once I start something I don't like to start something else until the other project is finished and that I got a job during the summer that really eats up my time.  
  
Rika (Anger): You!!!  
  
Me (Muttering): Oh great I wonder what I did to tick her off this time?  
  
Rika (Grabbing me by the shirt collar): Listen here you; I'm not going to spend the rest of my life as a red fur ball!  
  
Me: What makes you think I'm going to leave you and your goggle-headed lover as small digimons?  
  
Rika (Blushing a bit): Why? I will tell you why! Because of that other story of yours, that's why!  
  
Me (Sighing angrily): Listen here you nagging ice queen the others people in my other story were transformed, you and Takato are cursed, there's a huge difference if you can't tell.  
  
Takato: Yeah and it's not like he's going to leave us as small defenseless digimons, are you?  
  
Me (Grinning): I wasn't but with Rika pulling her warrior princess act here, I just might leave you two as digimons.  
  
Rika (Looking ready to beat me down): Why you.  
  
Renamon (stirring): UHHHHHHHH.  
  
Everyone (Looking at her wearily):  
  
Takato: Say BlackRenamon you dated Renamon right?  
  
BlackRenamon (nodding)  
  
Takato: Then what's worse, a drunken Renamon or one with a hangover.  
  
BlackRenamon (In panicky voice): Hangover!  
  
Takato (Gulping): I was hopping you weren't going to say that. (Then ran out of the room with the others)  
  
Me (Laughing): Well that's one way of clearing the room.  
  
Shadows of the Past:  
Chapter one: Into the shadows  
  
It was a beautiful day in the city of Shinjuku. The sun was out with just a few white puffy clouds traveling among the skies. It was the prefect day for a little fun.  
  
At the Nonaka household a group of teens were passing by when they heard this slash sound coming from behind the house followed by what sound like a male anger toddler's voice," Rika that was cold!"  
  
"Hahaha! Well gogglehead that's what you get when not watching!" a female toddler voice said playfully with just a hint of teasing mixed into it.  
  
The fox digimon Renamon looked over the edged of the roof of the Nonaka's household to see a reddish brown fox with yellow fur being chased by a soaking wet, brown skinned lizard/dinosaur. Renamon allowed a small smile as she watched her tamer Rika Nonaka and Takato Mutaski running around like a couple of little kids. But that smile was short lived as Reamon thought of the person who had cursed her tamer and the tamer of her secret crush Guilmon.  
  
His name was Kai Makino and he's the older brother of Rumiko. It has only been a mouth since that twisted and black-hearted man had put the curse necklaces on both Rika and Takato and it still pains Renamon knowing that she failed in protecting her tamer. But what hurt the most was the fact that Guilmon was also involved in this "family" affair.  
  
Renamon laid her back against the roof and glaze up at the blue sky, keep in her own thoughts about Kai. During the first few day of Takato and Rika's curse, that man had tried everything from black magic to even reviving the devil that haunted Renamon's dream. His name was IceDevimon and he had a soul just as twisted as the man who bright him back from delegation  
  
On the ground, Takato was still chasing Rika, trying to get her back, all under the watchful eye of Rika's grandmother, Seiko Makino and Takato's digimon partner Guilmon.  
  
"Guilmon I want to show you something before you go," Seiko said gently.  
  
Guilmon nodded his head without taking his eyes off of the cursed tamers. In the past mouth Guilmon had gone with an unexpected change. He was now more mature and hardly had any fun anymore. He's spent on his time watching over his tamer.  
  
"Guilmon this is very important," Seiko said. "It could help you sniff out Kai if he's ever near."  
  
Hearing Kai name caused Guilmon to look at the elderly woman with such a gold stare that it slightly startled her. But being the experience spell caster Seiko was, shrugged it off and gestured to a clay candleholder in front of her.  
  
"Watch," she whispered softly and began making small circles with her hands. She did this for about five seconds before she stopped and held her palms over the unlit candle. A faint flash of white came from Seiko's palms and the candle was lit. She then cupped her hands over the smoke coming from the lit flame. The smoke then turned into a ball of pure light. Seiko held it out for Guilmon and said," Now take in a good whiff."  
  
Guilmon curiously leaned in and inhaled deeply. His yellow eyes widen as the smell of fresh fruit nearly overwhelmed him.  
  
"Ow! Smell like fruit!" Guilmon said happily and clapped once.  
  
For that single moment Guilmon was once again the careful soul Renamon had dreamed about for four years. But that was short lived as Guilmon looked at the elder with stern eyes, like he was waiting for something.  
  
Seiko nodded and said," This is white magic in it's purest form. Now this is important, black magic will smell the opposite of this."  
  
Guilmon nodded and returned his eyes to the cursed tamers. Takato had stopped chasing Rika and was laying flat on his stomach to dry himself out. Rika was close to him with a teasing grin on her face.  
  
"Hey Gogglehead better not dry out like last time," she said teasingly.  
  
Takato blushed as he tried his hardest to ignore his follow cursed tamer by flipping onto his back and looking up at the sky. But Rika was feeling a little mischievous today and walked up to her secret crush. She turned around and brushed her fury tail along Takato's nose. Takato's face puckered up as he tried to stop the sneeze that was coming. It came out a second later, causing the young tamer turned dinosaur to scrunch up and Rika to burst out into a fit of giggling.  
  
Well that was it for Takato. He had only been at Rika's house for half-an-hour and so far he had playfully pushed him into her small pond twice and tickled his nose as least three times. So with a blush on his brown scarily skin, he pounce on Rika and the two began one of they wrestling matches.  
  
Seiko watch as her daughter acted like a little kid with a soft chuckle. In the past mouth the elder saw changes in her granddaughter and it was nice seeing Rika just having fun for once. Seiko was watching the cursed tamers when she felt a change in the wind and looked up at the roof just a familiar figure appeared on edge.  
  
"My daughter home already," Seiko said to himself before turning her attention back to her granddaughter and her friend.  
  
On the roof, Renamon had her eyes closed so she could watch her tamer and Takato through her heightened sense. She noticed that Takato was luring her over to the pond that Rika had pushed him into early.  
  
"Don't go there Rik-," But the mental link Renamon shared with her tamer had been broken when Rika was cursed, so the warning never reached her. Renamon heard a slash, followed by Rika's angry threats. Renamon opened her eyes, already knowing that Takato had freaked and is now running for his life from a very anger Rika.  
  
"Do you think they will even grow out of this phase, Rena?" Rumiko asked in a light joke.  
  
Renamon looked behind her and saw Rumiko wearing her dark blue jeans, high tops, and long black sleeve shirt under her late husband's black nylon jacket. She looked at Renamon as she removed sunglasses and smiled softly.  
  
"Hmm," Renamon closed her eyes and tuned in her senses. Rika was still chasing Takato, but Renamon could tell Rika was starting to calm down. Renamon opened her eye and looked at Rumiko and said seriously," When you find a way of breaking that curse."  
  
"Well that's not going to be easy," Rumiko said, becoming serious and turning her eyes to the sky.  
  
Renamon turned her eyes to the sky as she said," I know that. But I wish there was another way to free them from this curse."  
  
Rumiko sigh and said a little depressingly," I wish there was Rena, but only true love can break that curse."  
  
Renamon sigh herself as she fought to take this strange anger that had been threading her since Rika was cursed. So she changed the subject," So how did it go with Yamaki?"  
  
"That guy is just as headstrong as my husband was," Rumiko replied with an irritated sigh.  
  
"So I take it that mean he refused?" Renamon asked, even though she knew the answer.  
  
"Yes," Rumiko asked with irritation in voice, but then grinned like her daughter and began creaking her knuckles. "But I how to guess that man to cooperate."  
  
Renamon looked at her tamer's mother a little strangely. She offended wonder who was worse, Rika or her own mother.  
  
"Um Rumiko why do you call me Rena sometimes?" Renamon asked, deciding to change the subject before Rumiko could get any angrier.  
  
Rumiko stopped creaking her knuckles and looked at the fox in a startled way. She look at Renamon for a few second, thinking what to say. Finally the famous model sighs and looked towards the sky. "To tell the truth Renamon, you remind me of a person who lived with my husband when he's was about Rika's age."  
  
Renamon titled her head to the right slightly, her ears curiously twitching. She had never heard this one before and it was surprising that Rika's father had a friend that was like her.  
  
Rumiko sigh and looked Renamon straight in the eye," She had the most beautiful blonde hair you'll even imagine. She was nearly as graceful as Matt himself and she could match he in a fight. But the most stunning thing I found about her were her crystal blue eyes that always seem solemn, in short a very human like you."  
  
Renamon was stunned but hid it like all of her other emotions. From all the stories Rumiko spins about her late husband, Renamon thought he the prefect fighter. But to learn that there was someone just as good as the shadow fighter was a little startling and almost interesting all at the same time.  
  
"What ever happened to your friend," Renamon asked slowly.  
  
Rumiko sigh and looked at the roof of her house. "To tell the truth, no one knows. She just simply vanish the day, Matt asked my hand in marriage," Rumiko sigh solemnly and stood up. "Well Rena, I got to go. I promise my people I'll be in for one last shoot before the day was done."  
  
Rumiko slipped back on her shades and disappeared in the manger befitting her shadow fighter title. Renamon leaned back against the roof and looked up at the sky with a curious look hidden in her usually stern eyes.  
  
I wonder what they were like? I wonder what the original shadow fighter and his friend were like? Renamon let her thought wonder for a short period before letting them drop and returning her attention to her cursed tamer and her friend.  
  
(...)  
  
The early morning at the Nonaka house was about it usually since Rika became cursed. Renamon was the first one up and was outside, waiting for her sparing partner. Renamon would past the time by doing a few warm up exercises.  
  
Renamon started off with a few claw swings that turned into a sharp uppercut. She then crouched low and jumped high into the air, executing a wide forward flip at the same time. Renamon rebounded off the ground and leapt forward as she did a spinning tail lash. She turned the tail lash into a spinning kick that nearly hit a tree. Renamon ended her warm ups with a couple of jab punches.  
  
Any time Renamon was warming up or fighting a wild digimon she would imagine she's beating the stuffing out of Kai or IceDevimon. She would like nothing more then to tare those two apart slowly. But she pushed those types of thoughts aside. Renamon knew IceDevimon was a powerful digimon and with Kai black magic backing him up, made IceDevimon almost impossible to beat.  
  
Renamon stopped her punching as she felt Rumiko coming. She looked towards the door just as the famous model came with it. She was wearing her normal white martial arts training uniform and had her hair in the style Renamon had became custom too.  
  
Rumiko walked up to Renamon and for a long period of time, they just stared at each other. Then slowly they both got into their usually fighting styles, but they still remained as stall as statues.  
  
The two fighters sized each other up through their stares, both trying to find a weakness in the other's prefect defense. But for anyone who had watched these two experience fighters before would know that they're playing a waiting game to see who would slip up first.  
  
Rumiko was the first to charge and Renamon tensed up to readied herself for anything that may come her way. Rumiko used her shadow fading technique to vanish from sight, but Renamon was prepared for this move and jumped into the air. Rumiko appeared behind the yellow fox, startling her and knocking Renamon towards the ground. Renamon recovered quickly and rebounded off the ground. She executed a back flip kick, getting Rumiko right in the chin. The famous model recovered and managed to land on all fours. Rumiko straightened up as Renamon returned to the ground. They took up their stances again and resume their staring contest.  
  
Renamon was the first one to make the move this time. She phased out and reappeared behind Rumiko. Renamon throw a punch at her opponent and Rumiko ducked. Rumiko goes to elbow Renamon in her low half, but stop just before hitting and backhand Renamon in the stomach. The yellow digimon fox wince slightly as she tried to swift kick Rumiko in the back. Rumiko jumped forward to avoid the kick and kicked Renamon's leg. Renamon last her balance and fall, but managed to catch himself with her hand. The two fighters got up and jumped back, turning to face each other in the process.  
  
Both fighters jumped up and went at each other with a different attack. Rumiko got a knee in gut while Renamon got a fist to her right cheek. Both fighters landed on their back a little hard and stay there for a long period of time, catching their breaths. Rumiko was the first one to sit up, still catching her second wind and Renamon shortly followed, nursing the red mark on her fur.  
  
"Rumiko can I ask you about a move you use?" Renamon asked her tamer's mother without looking at her.  
  
"Yes, what it is Rena?" Rumiko asked as she stood up, bone creaking in the process.  
  
"That move you use when you hit me in the stomach can it be use in a different manger?" Renamon asked as also stood up, showing no sighs of pain what so ever.  
  
Rumiko nodded and said," Yes if fighting a man, you can elbow him in the privates and then you can get him in the gut."  
  
Renamon nodded and said," Yes I thought as much. Well I'm going on my morning tension reliever."  
  
"Well see you later," Rumiko said and waved as Renamon jumped over the fence and ran across rooftops.  
  
Rumiko put her hand to her chest as a trouble look enter the model's eyes. She sighs and went into her house. She slowly made her way to her bedroom and wasn't surprised in the least bit when she saw her mother standing by her door.  
  
"Good morning Mother," Rumiko said and did a small bow.  
  
Seiko returned the bow and looked at her daughter troublingly as she moved out of the way and allow her daughter to enter into her room.  
  
"So when are you planning on starting?" Rumiko asked her mother.  
  
"This afternoon," Seiko replied with sigh.  
  
"I still don't get why you need to do this?" Rumiko as she stepped out of her room, wearing her normal street clothes.  
  
"It was in your husband will," Seiko answered. "But I don't get is how Matt knew about Renamon in the first place."  
  
"Well you know Matt and those feeling he gets sometimes," Rumiko said softly.  
  
"Maybe. Well I most bee going. The spell I'm about to cast isn't a easy one," Seiko said and walked off.  
  
Rumiko watched her mother figure disappeared into the shadows of the hallway and then took out a picture from her jacket pocket. On the picture was a shot of teenage self, her husband, his collage roommate Sho Nonaka and a girl with long blonde hair and attire matching her hair. Rumiko stared at the picture for a few seconds with a gentle smile before pocketing it carefully and left.  
  
(Later)  
  
Rika was lying on her stomach in front of the pond, bored out of her skull. It was just one of the many disadvantages of being stuck in this small ashy red fox body she was in now trapped in.  
  
Rika sigh and looked at her reflection in the pond and then said in a slightly angry tone," Man I man just so bored!!!!"  
  
Another figure joined Rika in the pond's reflection and the red fox bent her neck to look at Renamon wearing one of her small smiles  
  
"Bored are we?" the taller fox asked simply.  
  
Rika turned her head back to the pond and said in a neglect voice," Maybe."  
  
Renamon just smiled more and picked up her cursed tamer. Rika felt uncomfortable about being picked up, but didn't voice it.  
  
"Let see what Guilmon and Takato are doing," Rika's ears twitch at the manage of her secret crush, which caused Renamon to smile a little more.  
  
"Probably just as bored as I am," Rika muttered, hiding a light blush in her fur.  
  
Renamon's smile just grew again at Rika trying to hide er shyness under her touch outsides as she took the rooftops and gracefully raced across them.  
  
(...)  
  
Deep within the house, where wondering eyes have ever been is the doorway leading to the sorceress room. The inside of the room was littered with different items of all kinds. But the thing that sticks out the most is a stone statue about the size of a lamp. The statue itself was just a figureless man, holding something a ball in his hands. At the base of the statue was a growing emblem gem.  
  
Seiko was kneeled in the center of her room, wearing her sorceress gown. Four candles were around her and lit in a different color. The candle in front of the elder was lit in an emblem green and the candle to her left was lit in a crimson red. The candle to her right was lit in a navy blue and the candle in back of her was lit in a simple white.  
  
"Ancient elder of long ago hear my pleas and open the doorway to the past. Allow the lights of this time to join with the shadow of the past and merge with them. Allow the fox creature of this world to enter into the past as another," Seiko chanted in a ghostly voice and then went a soft of sing as her body sway in all directions. She ended her ritual by grabbing her pouch of dust and throwing a hand full into the air. The dust landed on the candle's flames and they jumped a good foot in the air. Seiko cupped her hands in front of her and she took all of the different color flames into her hands. The ball of flames flashed, emblem then crimson, navy and finally white before settling in a mixture of the four colors. The elder sorceress lifted her hands to her roof and the ball of fire left her hand and passed through the roof without leaving any kind of trouble in its wake.  
  
With the only source of light gone, Seiko used the last of her strength and turned on the lights. The elder's face was covered in sweat and her breath was deepened. The spell she just cast was a complex one and it had used much of her strength.  
  
"It done, Matt," Seiko said weakly before getting up and making her way to her bed.  
  
(With Renamon)  
  
Renamon was half way to Guilmon's place when she suddenly stopped and began scanning the area. She felt something in the air but couldn't pinpoint it.  
  
"Renamon something up?" Rika asked, noticing her partner's strange behavior.  
  
"My fur is standing on end and that's only happens when I feel someone who wield magic is close," no sooner were those words out of Renamon's mouth then the air above her began swirling inward. Renamon notice this and looked just in time to see a portal opening. Her first thought that it was Kai attacking again, but she didn't feel the dark presents like she normally would.  
  
"Renamon what's that?" Rika asked with fear raising in her voice.  
  
"I don't know," Renamon replied calmly. "But I don't want to stand around."  
  
Renamon tried to move, but the portal was fully opened now and began drawing in the closest to it. Namely Renamon.  
  
The large yellow furred fox dug her foot claws into the roof, hoping to gain some kind of footing while tightening her grip on her crushed tamer. But the pull so began to strong and Renamon lost her hold. The two foxes were pulled into the portal and it closed up behind them.  
  
Renamon was traveling ring of different colors fires. She felt the flames jump at her body and she began to feel this splitting feeling throughout her entire body. She could feel her body going through a change and fought against the pain that threatened to knock her unconscious.  
  
What's going on Was the first fox's last thought before she slipped into a black world.  
  
(...)  
  
"Here. Here you. Are you okay?" a unfamiliar male voice as she unconscious Renamon.  
  
The fox slowly regain consciousness and opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was a pair of violet eyes staring at her in a concern way. Renamon first thought it was Rika, but as she began more alert, she realized that the eyes belong to a young male. Renamon notice that the man was carrying her unconscious tamer in his left arm and bolt to her feet only to have full onto her butt.  
  
"Hey don't try to move," the man said softly. "I think you took a nasty fall there and you might be a bit out of it."  
  
"Who are you?" Renamon asked in a light young tone that startled the fox. She put her hand to her throat and immediately notice something was off. She looked at her hand and was shocked to see five human figure attached to a human hand. "What's going on?"  
  
The young man carefully walked up the Renamon and held up his free hand as he said gently," It's look like you have a much worse time then I thought. Let me help you up?"  
  
Renamon looked at the hand and saw something that caused her eyes to widen. On the back of the hand was a black lightening bolt.  
  
(...)  
  
Me: Don't worry everyone I promise the lightening bolt thing and the human looking hand will all came into the light in the next chapter, faces of the past.  
  
Rika: Great another one who came up with bad titles.  
  
Me (Glaring): I thought you left.  
  
Rika: I did, but it's fun annoying you.  
  
Me (Sighing): I can never catch a break around here. 


	2. Faces of the Past

Me: Yo I don't own Digimon  
  
Rika: You know if you had brain on in that place you call a head you might actually have something here.  
  
Me (Sarcastic): Jeez thanks Ice Queen.  
  
Rika: Well it's true.  
  
Me: Well I don't need someone nagging me all the time you know.  
  
Rika (Sarcastic): Hey I'm only trying to help.  
  
Me: Helping yourself by annoying me.  
  
Shadows of The Past:  
Chapter two: Meeting the face in the shadow.  
  
Renamon stared at the bolt lightening bolt tattoo in utter disbelief. She knew of only one person with that make and if she was right that person should long since been dead. Slowly she looked at the young man holding her cursed tamer and began carefully studding him.  
  
He was about fourteen years old with a face similar to Rika's, only in a more boyish way. He had the same eyes as Rika and had the small yellow highlights as the cursed tamer, but his hair was black and was on a small ball ponytail. He wears light blue jeans and blue high tops with black running across them. He also wore a black nylon jacket similar to the one Rumiko wears only with white t-shirt.  
  
The young man caught the staring and got a little annoyed, but kept it out of his voice as he said," Umm ma'am is something wrong?"  
  
Renamon continued to stare at the boy in a puzzling way. Can it really be him and if it is then that's could only mean I'm must be in the past, but how did Rika and myself get here? And why isn't he worried about me? I mean it not everyday you see a giant yellow fox, Renamon then remember that her hand wasn't exactly like a paw anymore.  
  
Curious Renamon left both of her hands and look at them. Surely enough both were human hands attached to human arms with purple wristbands, similar to the one some of the tamers wear. She turned her wrists over and saw the yang-ying symbols on each band. Renamon looked at her arm more thoroughly and notice that there were small muscles on her arm. Her eyes continued to travel up her arm and she saw a white t-shirt sleeve. Looking down Renamon saw a white t-shirt under a yellow dyed jean vest. On the shirt was the Japan title for time. Renamon looked down at her lower half and notice she was wearing Jeans dyed in the same color as her vest. With a hesitate hand Renamon felt her face and was surprised to feel a human face, but she did feel a scare under each of her eyes. Finally Renamon reached behind her and felt soft silky hair.  
  
"Probably blonde," Renamon said to herself.  
  
"Umm are you okay?" the young man asked.  
  
"Umm yes, just took a nasty fall," Renamon said hesitantly, noticing that she was as the base of a hall.  
  
"Well that's good to hear and is this cute little fox yours?" the boy asked, lightly bouncing Rika in his left hand once.  
  
"Umm yes she is," Renamon answered slowly.  
  
"Then can I ask you your name because all I can read on this name tap is Rika," the guy said casually.  
  
Renamon looked at Rika, remembering that the collar had a spell on it that would erase the last name and address of it wearer and it would seem whatever spell was used on Renamon had also activate the collar's spell too.  
  
"You in there?" the boy asked, waving his free hand on front of Renamon.  
  
The fox turned human blinked once and said," Oh sorry, I just zoned out there. What did you did you say?"  
  
"I was just wondering who you are and I know you couldn't have it such a nasty spill that you would forget your own name," the boy added light humor to the end of his sentence.  
  
Renamon smiled a little nervously as she tried to come up with a name. Then a name just suddenly popped into her head. "I'm Rena Kamiya."  
  
"It nice to meet you Rena," the boy said and offered his hand once again. "And I'm Matthew Smith, but I liked to be called Matt."  
  
(Arthur word: Okay I know this sounds a little corny, but I'm going be calling the human Renamon, Rena for the rest of the FF, even when she talking to Rika, she would be known as Rena)  
  
Rena looked at Matt surprisingly as her eyes drafted down to the lightening bolt tattoo.  
  
"Hmm?" Matt notice Rena staring at his tattoo and looked at it himself. "Oh this," Matt held out his hand so Rena could see it," This is just a goofy family heirloom and are you going to sit there all day? It get pretty cold at night this time of year."  
  
Rena for some strange reason felt a deep blush appearing on her cheeks as she tried to stand up, only to begin wobbling about. With a gracefully hand, Matt grabbed Rena's shoulder and gripped it lightly to give the unbalanced human something to lean on.  
  
"Wow that fall must have been a nasty one if you can't walk straight or maybe you have one two many drinks," Matt added light humor to the last part.  
  
Rena smiled tiredly as she felt another scourge of alien emotions shoot through her. The two began walking as Matt stirred up a light conversation.  
  
"So where are you from because I never seen such a pretty face around town before," Matt said, casually.  
  
Rena blushed as she said quietly," Well actually I'm kind of a drafter."  
  
"A drafter?" Matt sounded somewhat surprised by this. "I never meat a drafter at your age, don't you missed your family?" Matt's voice took on a note of serenity as he said the last part.  
  
"Well to tell the truth, I really don't have any family," Rena said slowly and somewhat solemnly.  
  
"Well that to bad," Matt said quietly.  
  
The two fell into an awkward silence as Matt slowly guided them to where he was taking his new guess. During the walk Rena slowly got use to walking without the use of her tail for balance and by they reached their distention, Rena was walking in good stern steps.  
  
The place Matt took Rena to was a two-story house painted a milky white. It had a few roof tiles chipping on the roof covering the wide porch and there is a big old tree with a swing hanging from one of its branches. The house was one of few in this residential area  
  
Rena take in the house for a bit before facing her new friend," Is this your home?"  
  
Matt nodded and looked away as he muttered solemnly," Yeah been my house since I was five."  
  
"Do your parents live here?" Rena asked.  
  
Matt looked at the blonde a little surprise by the question and Rena realized a few things right then and there. The fox turned human realized that she still have some of her heightened senses and that Matt just said was meant for only him.  
  
"Umm I'm good at reading lips," Rena said, giving the boy by her side a sheepishly smile.  
  
Matt looked at Rena in a suspicious way that remained Rena of Rika's stares and the eyes were helping matter either. Matt seemed to be thinking about Rena defense plea and soon just gave up and sighs.  
  
"To tell you the truth Rena, this is my grandmother's house," Matt said solemnly. "I'm like you, I have no parents."  
  
Rena notice a hidden sadness in the young boys eyes that almost resembles her tamer's own sad eyes. She looked down at Rika, sleeping peacefully in her arms and then at the man that would be her father in years to come. Rena took in several similarities that the father and daughter to be shared.  
  
First Rena notice that Matt and Rika had pain that they hide very well. They were strong in their own ways, but Matt seemed to be calm and casually while his daughter could be cold and emotionless at time. But what the digimon turned human would soon realize most about the future father and daughter were how fast they where able to cover up their emotions.  
  
"Where come up let me gave you the grand tour," Matt said, putting on his casually attitude again.  
  
"Right," Rena said slowly turning in all she learned and storing it in the back of her mind.  
  
With Matt taking the lead, they entered into the house and were immediately meant by an elderly voice.  
  
"Matthew is that you?"  
  
"Yes grandma, it's me. Where are you?" Matt called into house.  
  
"In the kitchen making a snack for you and your new friend!" Matt grandmother replied.  
  
"What????" Matt screamed and then became nothing more but a blur as he ran in the direction of the kitchen.  
  
Rena was a little startled by the speed the human had just display. She had never seen any human, not even Rika's mother moved with that kind of speed before. She looked down at the spot where Matt stood a moment ago and saw that the spot was a little pushed in and were shaped a little like a pair of footprints.  
  
Is he really that strong, Rena wondered as she studied the prints for a moment before going to find her hosts.  
  
Rena stepped into the middle sized living room and notice it was a little plain. It had a couch in the center of the room with a chair at each end and a small stand on the right end of the couch. At the front of the sitting area was a middle size TV. There was different picture of children of all kinds of ages hanging from the wall.  
  
Rena walked behind the couch, brushing the gray silk fabric with the tip of her finger of her free hand. She was about to leave when a picture frame on the stand caught her eye. She picked it up and nearly dropped it when she saw the picture.  
  
"What is this?" Rena asked, unable to hide the surprised as Renamon was able to.  
  
On the picture was a married couple with the father hoisting his three- year-old son on his shoulders and his left arm around his wife. The wife in turn held her right hand on her husband's wrist. But it was the wife that startled Rena so much. The wife looked exactly like an adult Rika, only this girl was a pure ashy red and didn't have the yellow that gave it the flame-likeness. And this girl had eyes as bright as sapphires.  
  
"Could this woman by Rika's grandmother on her father's side?" Rena wondered to herself. She looked down at the bungled of fur she was holding and then back up at the picture, taking in the similar figures to the cursed tamer and the woman in the picture. But when Rena saw the black lightening bolt, all of her thoughts were put to rest. "Yup that's Matt's mother all right."  
  
Rena put the frame back the way she found it and went to find her new friend and his grandmother. She walked into the kitchen to find Matt helping an elderly woman into one of the table's sits.  
  
The woman looked about early 60s, but still looked pretty young. Her graying ashy red hair was cut down to the base of her skull and was kept in a small ponytail. She has the most beautiful red eyes that shine with great wisdom. She also seemed in great shape with the way her plain sky blue jeans fit her hips perfectly and the white sweater fit perfectly.  
  
"Matthew mind telling me about your new friend here," the elder asked in a tire gentle voice and Rena notice for the first time there was some sweat running down her face.  
  
"Umm Gram this is a drafter and her name is Rena Kamiya. Rena this is my grandmother, Sango Urameshi," Matt made the interdictions without even taking his eyes off of his grandmother.  
  
The two bowed to each other and Sango looked at Rena with a trouble glare. "A drafter at your age? Does that get lonely dear?"  
  
Rena just shrugged a little and said," It was until I meant Rika here." And bounced Rika lightly so not to wake her.  
  
Sango looked at the human turned fox with a look of wonderment and said," I have never seen a fox with just puffy fur or in that lovely shape of red, remains me a lot of my daughter's hair."  
  
"Thanks," Rena said, feeling somewhat proud at the moment. "She's a good partner, I like being with her."  
  
"She most be," Sango said softly and then looked at Rena with concern. "It must get lonely drafting by yourself, don't you miss your family?"  
  
Rena sigh and said," I'm not going to lie to you, Rika is the only real family I have."  
  
"I see," Sango looked in her grandson direction and then back at her guest. "What are you planning on doing now?"  
  
The question caught the fox turned human off guard, but Rena quickly recovered and said casually," Well actually I was planning on sticking around for a bit. By the way, where are we?"  
  
"In the east part of Shinjuku city or East Shinjuku," Matt answered lightly.  
  
"Oh, okay," Rena said, but then think, I never been to this part of the city, such prove interesting.  
  
"Well free feel to stay here as long as you want," Sango suddenly offered with a gentle voice.  
  
The offer got Rena off guard and she was at last for words," I, I, I..."  
  
"Well I will leave so you can make you decision," Sango began getting out of her chair, but Matt was by her side in flash, helping her up.  
  
"Please gram, your need to take things slower, you're still recovering from the flu," Matt said in a slight plea as she helped his grandmother to stand.  
  
The elder chuckled softly and said gently," Matthew I maybe old, but I'm not helpless." She then gently pulled herself free and walked slowly to the door. "Oh I made some of your favorite Tea Matthew, feel free to share it with Rena." With that said she left, leaving the two teens along.  
  
For the longest time, the two just stood there, each doing their own things. Matt was just staring at the window over the sink, lost in his own thoughts, while Rena was taking in the small family sized kitchen. Finally Matt moved from his spot to the strove and took off the pot with the tea in it.  
  
"Mind grabbing some cup, there in the cabinet to your left," matt said as he turned off the strove.  
  
Rena simply nodded and set Rika on the table. She then got two teacups from cabinet and joined Matt at table. The young man pooled the green tea and the two began drinking it in silence.  
  
"So Rena mind telling me while we're a drafter?" Matt asked in a slight wonder.  
  
"Well when my family died, I was moved from relative to relative," Rena said with monk sorrow.  
  
"And let me guess, no one wanted you?" Matt asked and took a sip of his tea.  
  
Rena nodded and with great acting skull put up a fake mask of sorrow and sadness. "And what about you?"  
  
Matt shrugged slightly and Rena notice that look of sadness appearing in his eyes. "Well my grandparents were the only real family I had."  
  
"But what happened to your parents?" Rena asked. But when she saw the sadness in Matt's eye expended, she regretted asking him that.  
  
"They died, so please just leave it as that," Matt said solemnly.  
  
Rena nodded and the two went back to drinking their tea in silence. Once they were done, Matt cleaned the cups and put them away.  
  
"Now if you're follow me I'll show you to the guest room, formally known as my uncle's room," Matt said with that light and dry humor of his.  
  
Rena simply nodded and picked up Rika. She got up and followed Matt to the second floor of the house.  
  
(Later)  
  
Night had long since settle in and most was getting ready for a good long nights sleep. Rena stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, studying her human form. She was wearing a pair of night gray pants with a matching muscle shirt Matt gave to her for the night.  
  
Rena had a very plain looking face; bust still had a small look that resembles her old digimon face. She had normal girly cheeks with a normal nose. There is a scar under her crystal blue eyes in place of her purple Renamon makings. She has long blonde hair that reached down to her lower back and some spots were spiked. Rena has two thin bangs that went down to meat her eyes. All and all, Rena Kemiya had features that was similar to the fox digimon and at the same time was completely different.  
  
"Why would someone use a spell that would send me back in time and change me into human at the same time?" Rena asked herself as she left the bathroom and walked down the narrow hallway to the room she was staying. "But why do all of this in the first place?"  
  
Rena opened the door and stepped into the quest room. The room was what one would exert from a middle size house with white color walls with movie posters on them. Matt had said that the room once belonged to his uncle and it seems Sango haven't change it since then. There was a bed in the room's center covered in nary blue sheets and a lamp stand was on its right. A window was to the left of the bed and to it's right was a dresser. Finally there was a desk to the right of the bed. Rika was on the edge of the bed, still sleeping.  
  
Rena walked up to the bed and took a set on it. She began thinking about this whole thing. Her first thought it was Kai doing, but when she gave it some real thought, she realize Kai would never do anything like this, so that ruled him out. But then there was only one other spell caster Rena knew and she knew Seiko would never do something like that, would she?  
  
Rena put her thoughts on hold when she heard Rika stirring. The little fox rolled onto her right as she opened her eyes half way. She looked around and took in her unfamiliar surroundings.  
  
"That spell must have taken a lot out of you if slept this long," Rika became fully awoke when this strangely familiar and alien voice reach to her ears.  
  
The cursed tamer shot to her little feet and turn in the direction of the voice and saw a young blonde girl with deep, piercing blue eyes looking down at her in a concern motherly way. It was these eyes mixed with that stare that seemed to cause something to click in Rika's memory.  
  
"Renamon?" Rika asked doubtfully.  
  
The blonde nodded and goes to pick Rika up. Rika was a little doubtful about the person and was about to run when the stranger scoop Rika into her arms faster then the little red fox could blink. The stranger cuddled Rika in one arm and began stroking her fur. Once Rika realized that only her mother and Renamon stroke her like that, she calm down.  
  
"Renamon it is you, but why are you human and where are we?" Rika asked, looking up at her now human partner.  
  
Rena thought about it for a minute then looked at her door as she heard something in the hallway. She looked down at Rika with one of her small smiles and said," I think I have a way of showing you were we are."  
  
Rika looked confusingly at her partner, as Rena stealthily got out of bed and walked up to the door. She edged it opened just wide enough so Rika and herself could see out.  
  
"Now just look," Rena whispered into Rika's ear.  
  
Rika twitched her ears in curiosity and peeked out the door. She saw a young boy around the age Renamon was now, wearing gray sleeping pants and a white muscle shirt. Rika looked at Rena and notice she was wearing the same clothes only the shirt different colors. Deciding on asking about the clothes later, she turned her eyes back to the boy in the hall. The black and yellow hair boy was currently scratching himself under his shirt with one hand and the other hand was scratching the back of his head. The boy turned to head to his room, still scratching his head and Rika got a good look at the black lightening bolt tattooed on his arm.  
  
Rena watched as Rika's eyes went wide as dash plates and she began shivering slightly and she decided that was enough. She closed the door and headed back to her bed. She set down and began stoking Rika's fur to calm her down. Finally after a few minutes of silence Rika spoke.  
  
"Was, was that, my, my, my..."  
  
"Yes Rika, that's Matthew Smith, the man who would eternally become you father," Rena said softly.  
  
"But h-how?" Rika asked breathless.  
  
"I really don't know," Rena answered with uncertainty. "That portal that we were stuck into transported us to the past and gave me this human body. Matt was there when I came too."  
  
Rika stared up at her partner turned human for a quick sec before jumping onto the bed and getting into a laying position. She thought about all of this for a short period and then looked at Rena.  
  
"Do you think Kai's behind this?" She asked seriously.  
  
"I thought that at first, but this..." Rena waved at her body"...don't seem like Kai."  
  
"Hmm," Rika look forward at the walls and for a few seconds were quiet as she took all of this. "I guess you're right, but then who?"  
  
"I would say another spell caster but that made less sense then Kai," Rena said calmly.  
  
"Then we're stuck," Rika muttered, more to herself then anyone else.  
  
"Yeah, it seems that way," Rena said and turned her head away.  
  
Rika looked at her partner and notice something in the mists of her partner's hair. Curious, she jumped onto Rena's back and began clawing her way through her partner's hair.  
  
"Rika? What are you doing?" Rena asked in a slight surprise.  
  
"I thought I saw something, so hold my dad's pants well you," Rika answered with dry sarcasm.  
  
Rena rolled her eyes at the commit and let Rika continued what she was doing. At first it didn't bother the fox turned human, but after a minute she was starting to get a headache as Rika worked her way down and it was starting to annoy Rena. When Rena thought she couldn't bear it any longer, Rika called out to her.  
  
"Hey Renamon did you know you got a weird tattoo shaped like a backwards blue clock on your neck?"  
  
"What?" Rena asked, sounding doubtful. "Are you sure?"  
  
It took some time, but Rika was able to pull herself form Rena's hair and look up at her with her determined face. "Well if you don't believe me, check for yourself." Rika used her challenging voice that Rena couldn't turn down, weather she was human or something else.  
  
So Rena got up and walked to over to the window. Arcing her neck, she pulled back her hair to get a clear view of her neck and was a little surprised when she saw the tattoo just as Rika said. She let go of her hair and returned to her sit on the bed. Rika jumped into her lap, wearing her biggest victory grin, yet.  
  
"Told you so," The red fox said, a lightly braggingly and sounding like a young kid.  
  
"Yes you did, you little fox," Rena replied, using the nickname she calls her sometimes.  
  
Rika arced her head to look up at her partner wearing one of her small smile and was about to protest about that nickname when a big yawn escaped her. Rena watched as Rika fought the sleep that was threatening her and losing big time. Finally Rika just gave up and curled into a ball, falling instantly to sleep. Rena allowed her smile to grow a bit as she set Rika on the edge of her bed.  
  
Rena suddenly yawned herself, startling the digimon turn human a bit. "Oh guess I'm tired too," She said, feeling a little embarrass, causing a light useable blush to appear.  
  
She undid the covers to her bed and struggled into it gently so not to wake her sleeping friend. Her last thought before falling into a slight sleep was, yes this adventure should prove quit interesting.  
  
(Early morning)  
  
Bad habits from her digimon days had caused Rena to awaken around four in the morning and no matter how she tried, just couldn't get back to sleep. She turn, twitch and even tried humming herself back to sleep. So finally after five minutes of doing nothing but staring into the darkness of her room, Rena got out of bed quietly, so not to wake Rika and tipped toed out of the room. She felt like doing some experiences but she knew she couldn't work out in the clothes she was in. So she went into Matt room and was going to borrow some of his clothes without waking him up. But much to Rena surprise, Matt wasn't sleeping, infect he wasn't in his bed.  
  
Guess he's an even more of a early bird then me, Rena thought as she began forging through Matt's dresser and closest for something to wear.  
  
Minutes later, Rena was heading for the back yard, wearing a yellow running suit. She thought it was useless to change her shirt, so she just changed out of her sleeping pants and into an extra pair of shoes Matt had.  
  
Rena walked out to the back porch and was little surprised when she saw a figure standing in the center of the lawn. Without her heightened digmon senses to help her see, Rena thought it was just a bugler, sizing the place of a burglary and got ready to defend her hosts house. But the figure didn't move any closer; it just stood in the center of the lawn.  
  
Rena lowered her guard a bit as she stared at the figure a little confusingly. It took a minute for her to realize who was probably out there and she left like she wanted to kick herself in the rear for that little mistake.  
  
I have been jumpy ever since Kai had shown his face and now I'm jumping at shadow, Rena felt embarrass and a little hysterically from that little thought and fought off these unwanted emotions the best she could.  
  
Being human had caused the former fox to feel a mixture of emotion she wasn't prepared for and it sometimes made her feel uneasy about this whole time traveling, changing to human thing. And she still wasn't sure who sent her to the past in the first place and that cause more unwanted emotions to source up in her.  
  
Taking her thought away from all of this useless stuff, Rena focus her attention back onto he figure in the law, which she figured out had to be Matt.  
  
Matt stood in the center of his lawn with his back to the porch and his hands elevated just above his stomach. His fingers were curled slightly and in the dim light the half moon gave off, you could see the faintly glowing white light of Matt's lightening bolt tattoo. He was in a mediated state with his eyes closed. His eyes suddenly snapped opened and an emotion resembling violence was deep in his eyes.  
  
Matt took up a fighting stance that was all to familiar for the digimon turned human and began punching the air. Rena began intrigued and decided to watch her tamer's future father at work.  
  
Matt continued to punch at nothing for the next five minutes and then he just stopped. He stared into the black abyss of night, like he was waiting for someone to come out of the shadows and attack him. He narrowed his eyes slightly and then took off running. He got a good two feet from his original spot and then went into a high reach back flap. He landed in the exact spot he started out in and took up his fighting stance again.  
  
Rena watched with a growing sense of awe. Ever move Matt did, he executed with completely frailness and it seemed like he was dancing instead of fighting. But what the former digimon didn't know was that with each move Matt did, the glow of his tattoo was slowing fading from white back to black.  
  
Matt stared into the darkness again as the look in his eyes got more violent. He was remembering all of the people who made fun of he over the years, but what he was mostly remembering was the terrible event that shaped him into the people he is today.  
  
Without warning, Matt darted to his right and jabbed his elbow out, which in turn he turned into a backhand move. That was a move Rena was all too familiar with. Matt ducked low and did a sweeping leg kick and then jumped high into the air. He began throwing kicks and punches as he descended to the ground. He landed right back in the spot Rena first found him in when she came out.  
  
Matt stood there completely in a relax state as his eyes continued to pierced out into the darkness. He found what he wanted and held his tattoo hand in front of his face. The tattoo itself was now glowing as black as the night itself. He moved his hand behind him and bent his knees slightly as sparks began flying from the tattoo.  
  
"Black lightening strike!!" Matt throw his hand forward, palm opened and with a faint flash of black light, a lightening bolt was sent into the night. The bolt hits a few cans that Matt had hidden in the darkness. Rena heard the cans hitting the ground, but she didn't care at the moment. She was in too much shock from witnessing that attack.  
  
Rumiko never told me he could do that, Rena practically screamed in her mind. Can this be the different Matthew Smith? No! He has to Rika's father. I mean how many human in Japan are without a Japan name?  
  
"Hey Rena how long have you been watching me?" Rena snapped out of her trance to find Matt looking at her in a suspicious way that resemble Rika greatly. It was the stare that put Rena own suspicions to rest.  
  
Yup that's Rika's father without a doubt, Rena thought quickly before saying," Umm I like to get up at this hour and do a bit of exercising, hope you don't mind if I borrow this?"  
  
"Eh, keep it if you like," Matt said with a causal shrugged and then waved to his black running suit. "I really like this one better."  
  
Rena nodded quickly and then looked at Matt curiously," Say what was that thing you shoot out of you hand."  
  
"Oh that was just my family most powerful move, the black lightening strike," Matt said as he held up his tattooed hand in pride. Then a confused look on his face and then smiled casually," Oh that right I forget that my family style is kind of a secret."  
  
"Don't worry I wouldn't tell a soul," Rena said truthfully. That's because I really don't know much about it.  
  
Matt nodded once and then a mischievous look appeared on his face. "Say Rena do you fight?"  
  
"Um, yeah I fight," Rena said a little uneasily because that look reminded her of Rika when she was about to go into battle. "I needed to fight to survive, why?"  
  
"Why don't we have a little sparring match before I need to go to school?" Matt asked as he mischievous grin grew.  
  
(...)  
  
Me: Well I'm ending it for now.  
  
Rika: You know you have no races imagine don't you?  
  
Me (Confused and slightly annoyed): So what did I do now?  
  
Rika: Rena Kemiya, Sagno Uramshi, can't you come up with anything more original?  
  
Me (Angry): Well excuse me for being a Red, White and Blue and hardly knowing anything about Japan names!  
  
Rika (Getting angry): Well I bet there's hundred of other of these Authors who can came up with some better names then you can!  
  
Me (Screaming): LIKE I SAID I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT JAPAN NAMES! SO JUST DEAL WITH IT!!! 


	3. Deeper into the Shadows

Me: Hey you all, just want to say, I'm not going to be this very long with this one because I want to get my next in-training story out.  
  
Rika: That's nice and all, but just get on with your story before I rip your eyes out.  
  
Me: Getting a little antsy again are we?  
  
Rika: No, I just want you to get this over, so I can see what happens to Gogglehead and myself.  
  
Me (Rolling): Right.  
  
Shadows of the Past:  
Chapter 3: Deeper into the shadows  
  
Rena stared at the future father of her tamer for a quick second slightly startled by the question, before her own mischievous smile blossomed on her face. "Sure, it been a while since my last fight, but I most warn you, I can be a real fox when I fight."  
  
Matt's mischievous smile turned into a cocky grin as he took off his training jacket," Oh really, but you will soon learn why my family had earn that title of shadow fight."  
  
The young boy threw his jacket onto the porch and the two fighters proceeded to the center of the lawn. They faced each other and bowed before getting into their stance. The fighters stand stall as statues as their eyes pierced each other, looking for any sigh of weakness in their form.  
  
A light breeze picked up, lifting Rena's hair to the right and ripping through her like tissue. She shivered slightly as she wished she had her thick fur to protect her. But Matt seemed to not even notice the wind or he just didn't care about the cold.  
  
Wow is that focus or what? Rena wondered to herself as she noticed Matt's stern face. He here is, standing out in the cold winter, his arms bare, his clothes are thin and this wind want to make me hug my jacket tight, but he's just standing there like there's nothing wrong.  
  
The two continued their staring match, but Matt was starting to get impatient. Rena could tell this by the way he was fidgeting and by how the way his eyes were getting restless. Finally Matt's patience ran out and he charged.  
  
Rena had expected Matt to do this, jumped out of the way, but her feet got caught on each other and she came crushing down to the ground on her side. Matt's fist landed an inch besides Rena's face and lift a fist-sized hole in the ground. Rena got back to her feet and looked at the hole in surprise and shock.  
  
"I thought you could fight?" an icy voice asked. Rena looked up and saw an ice over face that could put Rika to shame.  
  
"Well I'm a bit rusty because I haven't fought anyone in a few mouths," Rena replied nervously and rubbed the back of her head.  
  
Matt stared down Rena with an icy suspicious glare. The fox turned human couldn't help but feel small under that glare. She didn't know if it was because of these human emotions she had now or if it was just because she knew that this man could beat her within an inch or her life. But whatever it was, this man was more scarily then his daughter.  
  
Matt continued to stare down his sparring partner for a second before sighing. The icy look on his face soften slightly as he said," Okay I will go a little easier on you, until you get back into the game."  
  
Rena nodded and hesitantly took up her fighting stance. Matt also took up his stance, but it was looser then before. The two got back into their staring contest and Rena began sweating bullets.  
  
Okay Renamon don't get worked up. Sure he's stronger then you and you're not completely familiar with this human body yet. But it nothing to worry about, you have the experiences and that have to count for something don't it? Rena felt silly coaching herself like that, but at the moment it was the only thing keeping her from screaming like a actually girl.  
  
Rena saw Matt starting to get impatient again and decided to attack first this time. She ran at Matt and threw a punch. But she was slower then she thought was and her punch was sluggish w and so all Matt needed to do with stepped back and Rena missed. She lost her balance because of the missed and was about to fall float on her face, when Matt gracefully pushed her and she regain her footing. Rena looked at Matt confusingly and she saw something in his eyes that resemble pity.  
  
Matt allowed Rena to get a few inches away from him and waited in a complete relax state. Rena stared at her opponent hesitantly as she gulp down a big lop that formed in the base of her throat. She charged again, only this time it was more hesitantly then before. She tried a kick this time, only to lose her balance again. Rena was going to fall when Matt grabbed her leg by the ankle and helped her regain her balance. She looked in his eyes again and again she saw pity reflect in them.  
  
Matt stared into Rena's blue nervous eyes for a minute before jumping to the porch in one graceful jump and took a set on the steps. He leaned back and put his arm up as he closed his eyes. Rena study his figure, knowing full well that Matt wasn't going to take her to seriously.  
  
I guess it's true what they say about the apple never falling far from the tree, Rena thought as her anger start to raise a bit. She remember all the times she trained as Renamon and how Rika would sit just like her father was now, but there was one big difference between the future father and daughter. Rika would keep her eyes open, piercing at Renamon, sending her a massage that always say "get stronger." But Matt seemed to be napping at the moment.  
  
Rena stared at the male clone of her tamer, feeling a little unappreciated. So Matt, like his daughter don't think I'm good enough huh? Well I'm will show him, Rena thought determinedly.  
  
The fox turned human took up her fighting stance and began training herself with her human body. Matt creaked open his left eye and watched with half of his attention at Rena's training.  
  
Rena threw a punch and ended up on her butt, but she was determined not to give in and got back up. She tried a kick this time, but it ended with the same results. Instead of just getting up, Rena tried to jump to her feet. She managed to get up, but instantly tripped and fell back to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Rena gave up after that and just lay there, catching her breathe while trying to figure out what she was doing wrong.  
  
What? What I am doing wrong? Rena asked herself angrily. I had fought many in my day with less trouble then this, so why can't I fight in this human body?  
  
"Needs some pointer?" a voice asked gently. Rena looked over at Matt and saw he was now giving her his full attention.  
  
Rena slightly nodded and Matt said," well first of all you're feet at too lose when you threw something, so naturally you'll fall float on your butt every time. What do you think you have a tail or something?" Matt added his dry humor to his last sentence.  
  
Rena looked up at the night sky and began taking in everything Matt just told her. But it was the joke he made at the end that really seemed to stick with Rena.  
  
That's it! Rena shot into a sitting position. When I used to fight as Renamon I used my tail as a balancing rod and my claws on my feet were always dug into the ground a bit, but I don't have these anymore, so I need to be more careful until I have fully master this body.  
  
Rena rose to her feet again slowly and then got into her stance, making sure to paint her feet firmly on the ground.  
  
Now this is be good, Matt thought as a grin starting to form.  
  
Rena stay still for a few seconds, making sure her feet were painted right and when she was sure of herself, she threw her right hand in sharp uppercut. She followed that up was a fierce kick behind her. She then did half of a spin kick and then went for Matt's famous jab/backhand move. She jumped forward, wanting to do a flip kick, but she lost her balance and fill onto her stomach.  
  
Rena started to get up when Matt said from the porch," It the same thing with the jumping and running. You over do them and you'll always going to do a bully flop to the ground."  
  
Rena stood up and wanted to slap herself, but held back on doing it. Again it's because I'm so use to having a tail to help balance me.  
  
Rena looked at the porch where her opponent was sitting calmly, watching her like a hawk. She crouched slightly and took off in a nice clear sprit. She ran at Matt and the boy watched without fear as she drew closer to him. When she was about a foot apart from Matt, Rena jumped into the air and touch down on the roof. She looked over her shoulder, slightly surprised that she was able to make it all the way to the roof.  
  
"Guess I still got some of the ol' Renamon in me," the fox turned human mattered to herself.  
  
She felt the wind change direction and looked forward and wasn't the bit surprised when she saw Matt standing there, with his arms across his chest, looking a little smug.  
  
"Now that you that you gotten the basic again, let get back to the action," Matt said calmly and took up his stance.  
  
Rena didn't fail to notice the eagerness that was hidden deep in his voice or did she missed it in his eyes either. She took up her stance and Matt was on her immediately. He threw a punch and Rena easily ducked it. She was about to punch him in the gut, when he jumped into the air. Got off guard, Rena watched as Matt melted into the shadows of the night. Rena search for him, but couldn't fine him and she started to panic a little.  
  
Calm down Renamon you know he can mark his very being, Rena couched herself. So the best thing to do is relax and let the wind guide me.  
  
Rena relaxed completely and closed her eyes. She listened to the wind as sit whispered around her. She listened as it flew down her in a swirling path. She felt the wind to her right suddenly parted and ducked just as a gust of wind came rushed her head. She threw her elbow out and surprisingly connected with something. Rena opened her eyes to see her elbow imbedded in Matt's stomach. The young man was frozen in pain for a second, before shrugging it off and jumped back.  
  
"How did you know I was coming in from the right?" Matt asked calmly as he lightly rubbed his stomach.  
  
"I felt the wind," Rena answered casually, but with a serious look on her face.  
  
"You felt the wind?" Matt sounded curious and doubtful at the same time. Rena nodded and that only added to the boy confusion. How could she feel the wind? My grandfather always said that it takes years of training to even begin sensing the wind, let along actually feeling it. So how can this strange girl in front of my do it so easily?  
  
Rena used the time Matt was thinking everything over to sneak up and tried to sucker punch him. Matt had sense the in-coming blow at the last second and ducked. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Rena's waist.  
  
"Now I think it's time you experienced a move that has been on my family for generations. The shadow crusher!" Matt easily lifted Rena over his head and jumped off the roof. Rena become worried when she thought she was going to be slammed into the ground, but to her surprise Matt rebounded off the ground and then slammed her into the ground.  
  
Rena couched as she slowly set up. She looked at the boy before her, his eyes blazing with a fury that not even his so to be daughter had. Rena got to her feet very slowly so she could catch her second wind and studied her opponent.  
  
Even in his relax state, Matt always seemed to have his guard up, just like Rika, but he seemed more untouchable then his soon to be daughter. Matt was like a wall of the toughest steel, while his daughter was along the same line, but at the same time different all together.  
  
I must remember to write these family genes down when I got the time, Rena thought to herself.  
  
Matt was also studying his opponent just as Rena was doing to him. To him the girl before him was like a flower. She was beautiful when she walked, yet even dangerous when it came to fighting. She has a soft comforting voice but had a firm hand; Matt had learned that that hard way.  
  
Whoever this girl really is, she is a good fighter, Matt thought.  
  
The two fighters stood completely relaxed as they continue to study one another. After two more minutes of staring, they took up their fighting stances, but they still didn't make any kind of moves. Finally Matt made the first move by fading into the shadows.  
  
Like that's going to work, Rena was starting to get a little smug and she closed her eyes again as she listened to wind. Surprisingly it was very quite this time and it concerned Rena. Strange why can't I hear the- oof!  
  
Rena's eye snapped opened because Matt had pulled a fast one fading back in when Rena had closed her eye and drove his fist into her gut. Matt had a smug grin on his face from the sneak attack he just pulled, but that quickly vanished when Rena despite all the pain she was in wrapped her arms around Matt's arm and tossed him over her head. Matt twisted a moment before hitting, freeing his arm and landing on all fours.  
  
Matt flipped backwards and rebounded off the ground. He went for Rena with a punch all ready for her, but the former fox saw the attack and ducked just as Matt soar over her. She punched Matt right in the chest and he fell towards the ground. Matt managed to catch himself by bouncing off of his hands and landed with his back to Rena.  
  
"You know I never seen a girl quit like you before Rena," Matt committed without looking at her. "You strong and gracefully, once you get going."  
  
Rena ignored the joke at the end of Matt's sentence as she slowly got to her feet. She looked at her host with a slightly startle look on her face. She was remembering what Rumiko had said about her husband friend, but she quickly stop that thought.  
  
I can't but that Rena, Rumiko talked about, can I?  
  
"Hmm?" Matt looked to his right and then sigh. He turn to Rena was disappointed in his eyes and said causally," Well Rena looks likes we're call this a draw. But tomorrow morning I would like to finish this."  
  
"Huh?" Rena raised a questioning eyebrow and then looked in the direction Matt was just looking in a second ago. She saw the sun starting to rise over the horizon and look at Matt more confused then ever. "So the sun is rising, that means nothing."  
  
"It means that it close to six in the morning and I need to get ready for school," Matt said in a float voice.  
  
"Oh," Rena simply said as she and Matt walked to the porch.  
  
Matt picked up his uniform jacket and looked at Rena with a casually smile," I'm sorry but it can get pretty boring around here during the day."  
  
"Actually was planning on going to school," Rena said casually.  
  
"How?" Matt asked as he raised a questioning eyebrow.  
  
Rena shrugged and said off handedly," I'll fine a way."  
  
Matt gave Rena that suspicious look that he would pass onto his future daughter, before shrugging it off and turning toward the door. "Well I'll guess you'll want the tub first."  
  
Rena stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the boy before her, a light blush forming on her cheeks. "W-What did you just say?"  
  
"Would you like to take a shower before me?" Matt asked casually. "Because I know girls don't like smelling like an ox."  
  
Rena stared at Matt for a few more moment as her blush deepened and spread across her entire face. She was so embarrassed that all logical thought vanished from her head. She looked down at her human body and then felt her hair. Matt had watched Rena strange behavior was about to ask her what was wrong, when she ran passed the shadow fighter with blinding speed.  
  
Matt looked at the door as he swing closed for a second in slight confusion before sighing and muttering," I'll never understand women."  
  
(...)  
  
Rena had run all the way to her room, grabbed Rika gently and ran to the bathroom without slowing her pace. She gently shook Rika until she woke up.  
  
The cursed tamer moaned slightly and looked up at her partner with sleepy eyes. "Renamon what's the big idea waking me up so early?" she asked in a sleepy voice.  
  
"Will I need you help with something Rika," Rena replied in a nervous voice.  
  
"Will what is it so I can go back to bed?" Rika asked still half sleep.  
  
"Well I um, that is I need, um, well what I want to ask is," Rena for some reason couldn't bring herself to say what needed to be said and that annoyed Rika.  
  
"Renamon will you just spill it so I can go back to bed," Rika said in a hash tone.  
  
"I need help with washing myself!" Rena replied in a quick, hash whisper.  
  
"Oh," It took a moment for Rika's sleep clouded mind to process what was just said and then snapped into full consciousness. Ohhhhhh."  
  
Rena nodded hastily and said quickly," Yeah, now could you help me?"  
  
Rika nodded once and then sniff the air. "Well for starter get rid of that suit, it smells worse then your fur when wet."  
  
Rena simply nodded and set Rika on the bathroom counter. She then undressed and threw the dirty clothes into a nearby heaper.  
  
"Okay now what?" Rena asked her partner. The fox turned human was feeling awkward standing there in her naked human body and couldn't fight the blush that appeared on her cheeks.  
  
"Okay now in the shower are two handles, one for cold water and the other for hot water," Rika informed Rena.  
  
"Even I know that one Rika," Rena said in dry sarcasm.  
  
"But you'll want to get water just right so you don't freeze your skin off or boil it either," Rika said, getting a little edgy.  
  
Rena just nodded again and set to work. She got the water just right and stepped in. Rika then began instructed her digimon partner turned human and Rena followed them thoroughly. She took a quick shower and then wrapped a tower around herself just as Rika told her too. She then quickly picked up Rika and hurried out of the bathroom in fear of Matt seeing her. Unbeknown to the pair of time travelers, a pair of wise old red eyes watched the two, with a slight curiousness to them  
  
(Later)  
  
Matt and Rena was now heading toward Matt's school with the shadow fighter in the lead. Matt was wearing a nary blue school uniform, while Rena was wearing her usually clothes. But at the moment clothes were the last thing that was on the fox turn human's mind. She was currently trying to think up an excuse to enroll in Matt's school. But she was having trouble trying to come up with a good one that might actually work and it was starting to work on the former digimon's last nerve  
  
"Hey Rena, you in there?" Matt asked in a light tone.  
  
"Huh?" Rena looked to her right, where Matt was and saw a slight concern on his face. "What was that?"  
  
"I was just wondering what was with the zoned out look on your face?" Matt asked with a casually shrug.  
  
"I was just wondering how I'm going to enroll in school," Rena replied calmly.  
  
"Don't you have an kind of kin around here?" Matt asked a suspicious stare under his casually eyes.  
  
Rena saw the look and said calmly," As far as I know none of my family live around here."  
  
"Oh," Matt simply said and looked toward the sky. For the longest time, the two walked in a silence, each minding their own business. Finally after five minutes of silence, Matt look at Rena from the corner of his right eye. "Mind my asking, why do you want to go to school anyways? I mean you're a drafter after all."  
  
Rena was prepared for that question and said calmly," Just because I'm a drafter doesn't mean I don't want to learn"  
  
Matt looked at Rena with a suspicious look in his eyes and in turn Rena looked at him with an icy stare. The two stopped walking and now were just trying to win another one of their staring contest. Matt was trying to find the truth hidden beneath Rena's eyes, but the icy glare was preventing him from doing so.  
  
Matt grew tiring of staring into Rena's eye and sigh," If you're really that determined about school then I'll help?"  
  
"How?" Rena asked, titling her head slightly to the right in a suspicious way.  
  
Matt slightly grinned and said in a sly tone," Oh trust me I have my ways."  
  
That tone made Rena slightly more suspicious and curious at the same time. But Matt decided this time to go silent and resume his walking. Rena stare at Matt's back suspiciously for a few ore seconds before she hurried up to catch him.  
  
They reached Matt's school about five minutes later and entered the grounds. Many kids of different ages were doing verse things, like talking to their friends, catching up their homework or just doing nothing. But once Matt and Rena entered, everyone instantly stopped what they were doing and look in they direction. Most if the kids Matt's age were giving him hateful glares, while the younger one was looking fearful at him.  
  
Matt just simply put his right hand in his pocket and sling his school bag over his left shoulder. He and Rena began walking and the former fox took in the different looks the other kids were giving Matt.  
  
Not even Rika was able to generate this kind of turn out, Rena thought in awe.  
  
The two entered the building and went straight for the main office. Matt went up to a skinny black haired woman with think black frame glasses. She was currently working on filing a few things and didn't notice the two kids when they enter.  
  
"I'm here to see Miss Fukamachi," Matt said simply.  
  
The woman jerked her head up at the sound of Matt's voice and Rena saw the fear grow in her eyes.  
  
"Y-Y-Yes, Mister Smith," the woman voice was low, timid and creaking big time.  
  
She pressed the button on her intercom and quickly spoke into it. The girl nodded a second later and Matt walked in like the principal office like he own it. Rena followed close behind, feeling a little confused and surprised by all she just witness.  
  
Now this is starting to get a little weird even for a time traveling digimon like myself, Rena thought as she stepped into the room.  
  
It was just a normal principal office with everything someone would expect to see in a principal office. And sitting in the disk at the center was a think black haired woman in a matching business suit, looking over a group of papers on her desk. When Matt and Rena entered she looked up fearfully at the shadow fighter for a split second before regaining her composer.  
  
"Mister Smith what can I do for you?" Miss Fukamachi asked with a clearly forced smile.  
  
Matt jerked his head in Rena's direction and said simply," This is Rena Kemiya; she's my cousin from out of town. She will be staying with me and my grandmother for a while and she want to attended school."  
  
Cousin? Rena thought as she looked at Matt with a cocked eyebrow.  
  
The principal and the shadow fighter stared at each other for a second. Matt was giving the principal a hidden message through his stare, one that went unnoticed by the fox turned human. After a few more seconds, the principal calmly nodded and took out a paper.  
  
"Okay so what is your height and weight so we can get you fitted for you uniform," the principal said calmly, writing something on the paper on her desk.  
  
Um," Rena couldn't answer the question because she didn't know how tall she was in her human body and began nervously sweating as she tried to come up with an answer.  
  
Matt must have seen her friend sweating bullets because he moved in front of Rena and look her dead center in her crystal blue eyes. He turned towards the principal and said calmly," she just as tall as yours truly and I'll bet she pretty slim too."  
  
The principal nodded without taking her eyes off of her work.  
  
"And I want her to have the same classes as myself," Matt said calmly, looking out of the corner of his eyes with a slightly suspicious look in his eyes.  
  
Rena had seen the look and her cheeks puffed out slightly in anger. Why don't you just say, you'll like to keep an eye on me at all hours of the day? She thought sarcastically.  
  
The principal nodded again and finished up the last of the paperwork. She then held out the paper and Rena took it.  
  
"This will act as you're temporarily schelme, your normal one should arrive in the mail in a few days and we should have you uniform by the end of the day," the principal informed Rena.  
  
The fox turned human nodded and pocketed the piece of paper. She left the office followed closely by Matt.  
  
"Is my debt paid?" the principal asked quietly before Matt left.  
  
The shadow fighter stopped dead in his tracks and looked at the woman with a gentle smile," I wouldn't have held you to it anyways." He then left, leaving one relieved principal behind.  
  
Matt stepped into the hall and was meant with Rena.  
  
"Hey what kept you?" she asked curiously.  
  
Matt shrugged and said casually," Miss Funimka and I were just chatting."  
  
Rena looked at Matt suspiciously for a quick second before shrugging it off and saying," Well lead me to our home room class."  
  
Matt nodded once and took the lead with Rena following closely. As the two made they're where to class, Rena couldn't help but notice all the stares that the other students were giving Matt and herself. Most were angry or icy stared, directed at Matt, but some were looking at Rena in either confusion or puzzlement.  
  
Rena could tell what some of those stare meant by secretly watching Rika when she at her school, but she couldn't figure out why everyone was looking at her and it slightly annoyed her.  
  
It like they never seen a girl before, She thought annoyingly.  
  
The pair reached homeroom B and they entered. The classroom was alive with kids talking to each other, but once the fighting pair stepped in, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Matt angrily. The shadow fighter ignored the stares as he made his way to his desk, which just happens to be right in the middle of the classroom. As luck would have it there was a spare desk to Matt's right and Rena took it.  
  
The teacher, a middle age man with graying jet black hair stood up and address the class in a firm teacher-like voice," Well class as you all can see we have a new student joining us. So why don't you stand up and tell us about yourself."  
  
Rena stood up and addressed the class in a calm manner," I'm Rena Kemiya and I'm a distant relative of Matt here."  
  
The entire class gasped as their anger turn to surprise. They look between the blonde and the black haired boy at her side in disbelief.  
  
"What?" Matt asked casually, lifting his hand up in meld confusion. "Can't a guy have family?"  
  
Rena smiled down at her newly named cousin before addressing the class again," As for what I did, I was a sorta of drafter, wondering from family members before I ended up with Matt."  
  
The class looked at the two like they were crazy or something. Rena could tell that the entire class wanted to ask her a load of questions and the former fox didn't know if she could answer them all at once. But luck was with the time traveling digimon as the morning announcement began, drawing the class attention away from her.  
  
Rena sigh and then looked over at Matt, a suspicion appearing in her eyes. All of these humans here seem either afraid or mad at Matt, but why?  
  
(...)  
  
The day has been a real eye opener for Rena. Everywhere they went, people where either angry with Matt, afraid of him or trying to pick fights. Matt had turned the one who wanted to fight with one saying," I'm not fighting you plain and simple."  
  
But what still got under Rena's skin was the fact that others were giving her weird looks. She had learned that news can travel fast around a school and every student probably knew of her relation with the shadow fighter. Some students had even came up to Rena and asked how it like living with Smith? But Rena just ignored these questions and acted if nothing was the matter.  
  
It was now P.E. class and Matt was waiting by the girl's locker room door for Rena. He was wearing the standard gym uniform, which was a blue running pant with a white t-shirt with a blue and white strip on each sleeve. Rena emerged from the locker room after everyone else was already outside, looking embarrassed beyond belief.  
  
"Hey what kept ya?" Matt asked causally.  
  
"Oh, I was kept from getting dressed because others kept asking me things," Rena lied as a seeable blush appeared for some reason. In reality Rena felt odd undressing in front of tones of human girls, so she had found a nice dark spot to undress and then she wait until all of the others were out before changing.  
  
Matt gave a suspicious look, meaning he didn't fully believe the fox turned human. Rena couldn't help but sweat because that stare reminded her so much of Rika. After a moment Matt stopped his staring and looked away.  
  
"Well we better be going before we anything important," he said casually.  
  
"Okay," Rena said lightly, but was looking suspiciously at Matt's back.  
  
The two hurried out and join they classmates as the class was going over the day plan"...okay class today we're going to do the mile and let see if we can get through this without any types of accidents like last time."  
  
Rena leaned in closed to her "cousin" and whispered," What does, he mean by accidents?"  
  
"Last time I ran on the track mystery holes appeared in my way," Matt whispered back.  
  
"How did that happen? Rena asked curiously.  
  
"Don't really know, but it didn't matter, I still finish in record time," a small hint of pride crept into Matt's voice towards the end of the sentence.  
  
Rena raised an eyebrow at Matt show of emotion as she mental logged in this newfound information. She gave the shadow fighter one last curious glance before turning her attention back to the teacher.  
  
"Okay for safely reason the principal is making me have you run two at a time, so when I call your name get in position and take off when I blow my whistler," the teacher said and called the first two runners.  
  
Surprisingly enough Matt and Rena were two out of the four that was running last, which suited Matt just fine. But Rena was a little suspicious about a group of kids that were grouped together. She walked by them earlier she thought she heard something about "getting back at Smith" but she wasn't curtain.  
  
The shadow fighter and the former digital monster got into position and waited for the whistler to sound. The teacher lifted the shiny gray object to his mouth and blow into it hard, causing a piercing sound to rip through the air. Matt and Rena took off at the sound of the whistler and were blazing across the track like a comet. Rena was able to keep up with Matt, which was amazing because Matt was a very fast runner when he put his mind to it. Matt notice that the fox turned human was able to keep up with him and grinned to himself. He looked forward and pumped up his seed a bit, but Rena saw this and just increased her speed to keep up with her tamer's father.  
  
Since the track the two were running on wasn't big enough for a whole mile, they needed to run around the track four times to count as one mile. Matt and Rena ran past their shocked classmates in record time. But the group of kids that Rena had heard earlier wasn't so easily moved by the girl speed and decided it was time to put their plan into action.  
  
The leader of the group, a kid was black spiked hair walked up to the teacher, limping on his right leg. "Umm teach, I think I have a creep in my leg and I forget these exercises to help relax it."  
  
The teacher looked suspicious of the kid and then turned back to the track to see Matt and Rena completing their second lap. He sighs and looked back at the spike haired teen.  
  
"Okay now follow me," then the teacher beginning showing the kid some stretches with the kid following closed behind.  
  
But as the spike haired kid was keeping the teacher business, his friends quickly take same of the hurdles and place them right in the path of the two fighters. Matt saw the things in his way and grinned cockily. He picked up his speed again and went straight for the hurdles. Rena was slightly startled by her tamer's father's actions, but decided to keep up with him anyways and picked up her speed until they were dead ever. The entire class watch in surprised as the two just onto the first hurdle and skipped across them gracefully. They touch down and finish they last lap in record time, leaving the entire class, shock and speechless, but the kids who set up the prank wasn't all that thrilled. They leader joined his friends and sulked as Matt and Rena walked by them.  
  
"What was that about?" Rena asked as she and Matt took a set on one of the branches used for games.  
  
"Oh just some runner who hate to be shown up," Matt said causally, while looking to the right from the corner of his eyes.  
  
Rena looked very closely at her "cousin" and notice great anger hidden deep within these violet orbs of his. Curious Rena followed his look and saw he was looking at the group of kids that just tried to mess them up. Looking back at her tamer's future father, she noticed a few other things that clearly showed the boy's anger. His left hand was clenching and unclenching into a fist and was slightly trembling.  
  
Matt continued to secretly glare at the kids for a minute, before looking away and sighing quickly. "Well since it nearly the end of class, I'm going send it beating the stuffy out of these training dummies." He got up and went over to where the training dummies were kept.  
  
Rena watched as Matt began beating up on the dummies, his attack mirroring his anger. She watched as Matt delivered a devastating spun kick to one of the dummies head, nearing taking it clears off.  
  
I think I'm finally starting to understand Matthew Smith and again I am reminded of that old saying, like father, like daughter, Rena thought as she got up and joined her friend at the dummies.  
  
(After school)  
  
Broken windows, messy streets and the lowlife of the city hiding around every corner. That what people would call a bad neighborhood and the shadow fighter and fox turn human were currently walking in. Rena was a little jumpy because she had seen what kind of people live in these streets from her days as Renamon and it made her feel really uncomfortable walking there exposed like that. Matt on the other hand seemed totally relaxed and mallow, but if someone would too look closely in his eye, they would see an eagerness buried deep down.  
  
"Matt what are we doing here?" Rena asked calmly, her eyes were nervous darting around, looking for anything that might try and jump them from the shadows.  
  
"I just feel like coming this way to calm me down after school," Matt said casually, but his eyes were also scanning the area.  
  
"But couldn't you do that on the normal walk?" Rena asked, a hint of panic entering her voice as she thought she saw something moved from the shadows.  
  
"This place is just as good," Matt answered with his casually shrug.  
  
"How punk I thought I told you never to show you stupid face around my turf again," a loud annoying voice called out from an alley that two just happened to be passing by.  
  
The two stopped and looked into the shadows of the alley just as three huge guy stand out of the alley. The one who called to Matt was obviously the leader of the group and was wearing a dirty leather jacket with a picture of a thunderbolt striking again a green splatter. He also wore a cut up muscle shirt under the jacket and a pair of black jeans with a chain hanging from the right pocket. He stomped his hiking boots against the ground as he walked up to Matt. He ran his hand across his shoved head and stopped just as he reached a tattoo of the same mark that's on his jacket.  
  
The guy to the shoved man right wore the same jacket as his friend, only the sleeves were tore off and the man wasn't wearing a shirt, showing to the world his red skull tattoo. He wore black jeans that were cut off from the knees down and wearing wore out high-tops. His black hair was greasy and a compete mess. He banged his club into his gloved right hand.  
  
The final guy also wore a leather jacket, but the left sleeve was tore off and he wore a arm guard. On his forearm was a X shaped tattoo. His red hair is long and tired in a ponytail that rested on his right shoulder. He also was shirtless, but bandages covered his stomach. He wore black jeans like his friends, only the knees were blown out and he wore combat boots. He griped his chain tightly as his bright green eyes pierced through Matt's figure.  
  
"I thought I told you never to show your face around the thunder splat hood again?" the shove man asked angrily and shoved Matt hard.  
  
"Hey I go where I want too," Matt said casually and then looked at the redhead. "So red how's the arm feeling, still isn't sore from the last time?"  
  
Last time? Matt had meat these gangsters before, Rena looked at Matt with questioning eyes.  
  
"Let me break you arm and then you'll know how it feel punk," Red spitted angrily in Matt's direction.  
  
"Yeah, I warned you punk what would happen if you come around here again," the greasy hair one said.  
  
Matt suddenly grinned and his eyes seemed to be saying," Bring it on."  
  
(...)  
  
Rika: What's with the whole track thing?  
  
Me: That's how the track was back at my school.  
  
Rika: And the whole going by two things.  
  
Me (Shrugging): Just something I felt like adding to make things twisty.  
  
Rika: But that's not how things are done.  
  
Me: I know, but I needed something so these kids could spring their trip.  
  
Rika: One last thing.... WHAT'S WITH THAT MATTHEW SMITH GUY?  
  
Me: Hey he's your father and that's how I make things more interesting. 


	4. Secrets of The Shadow

Rika: Okay you; you got two second to tell me about my father in this story before I mass up that face of yours.  
  
Me: Where's the fun if I just tell you all my character's secrets now, besides it makes things...  
  
Rika: DON'T SAY INTERESTING!!! I'm getting really sick of that word.  
  
Me (Grinning): That why I did it, to tick you off.  
  
Rika (Angrily lunging at me): That's it, your meat buddy!  
  
Me (Sighing): What's with this anime characters? Why do they hate me so much?  
  
Shadows of the past: Chapter four:  
Secrets of The Shadow  
  
The shoved man advanced on Matt, but stopped when the redhead asked," Yo boss mind if I take this one?"  
  
"Sure," Shove grinned cocky at his friend. "Just be sure to mass up that pretty face of his really good."  
  
Red returned the grin and said smugly," Don't worry I'm planning on too." He stepped forward and spun his chain around. He creaked it hard against the ground and the fighting pair jumped a foot away from it.  
  
Matt got into his normal fighting stance and a victory grin appeared on his face. "What makes you think you can do any better then the last few times?"  
  
Rena looked at the shadow fighter feeling startled by what he just said. He did fight these guys before! But why would he fight a bunch of people like them?  
  
Red whipped his chain on the ground again and threw himself at Matt. The shadow fighter stared down the charging man down with stern determination and an unflinching hand. When Red was about an inch away, Matt jumped into the air and delivered a sharp kick into the guy's chin. Red went flying back into the alley he emerged from with his friends and they caught him. Red look at young boy before him with a great fury burning deeply in his ruby colored eyes as he tare himself free from his friend's grip. He lunged at the shadow fighter, swimming his chain widely. Matt side stepped just as the chain came down from his right side. He grabbed Red's wrist and threw a punch with his free head. Red brought up his arm guard and used it as a shield to block Matt's fist.  
  
"HA! Whatcha you got now punk?" Red screamed, spitting in Matt's face.  
  
"This!" Matt threw his head into the other's guy skull, hard. Red fill backwards with his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his mouth gapping. The others thunder spat members watch in shock as their unconscious friend hit the payment like a tone of bunks.  
  
The one with the club seemed the most out of it just standing like a gapping fish, looking at the fallen gang member. He then clutched his jar angrily and looked at the shadow fighter with vengeance burning in his stormy eyes. He gripped his club so tight that his knuckles started turning white.  
  
"That's it punk!!! You're going down!!" the man charged at Matt with his club raise high above his head. He swings, aiming from Matt's head, but the shadow fighter easily batted the club out of it owner's hand and gave him a punch to the gut. The guy stood in place with a gapping mouth before he collapsed to his knees. Matt took a step back as the guy fill onto his stomach, out like a light.  
  
Matt looked at the last gang member and was a little confused to see him smirking instead of cowering in terror like he normally would. "Did I finally scare you brainless or something?" Matt asked lazily.  
  
"No I just decided to ask some chums of my to drop by," the guy replied smugly.  
  
That's was about the time, the fox turned human notice that she and the shadow fighter were surrounded on all sides. Most were adults, but Rena thought she saw some teenagers too. Every gang member was wearing the same leather jacket and was carrying weapons of some sort. Rena even thought she saw a gun or two.  
  
Rena joined Matt and the two got back to back as they took up their fighting stances. "So is this a usual turn out?" she asked lightly as she looked over the group that surrounded her and Matt.  
  
"I usually never draw this much of a crowd, but it something like that," Matt replied causally.  
  
The group in front of Matt parted and a man with well-kept black hair came into view. By the way the others were reacting around him, someone could tell he was important. That and plus his well-kept brown leather jacket just screamed guy in charge.  
  
"You the punk who been messing with these losers?" the guy asked simply and jerked his head in the direction of the shoved man and his two unconscious friends outside of the circle.  
  
Matt looked at them quickly before looking at the man before him and asking with half of his interest," You're the leader of this gang?"  
  
"I wish," the guy said disappointedly. "But I'm only a second and my boss doesn't like how you keep messing with his boys."  
  
""Why afraid I'll ruin you image?" Matt asked in that dry humor of his.  
  
"Actually yes. Now get them!!" the guy yelled and pointed his finger at the fighting pair.  
  
He stepped back as the large group lunged at the two teens. Matt and Rena watched as the gangsters charged at them with unflinching nerves. They jumped at the last moment, causing the gangster to pile on top of each other. Matt landed on the right side of the pile and looked at Rena who was on the opposite side with a victory grin. The former digital monster in turn gave Matt an icy stare that whipped his grin off his face in a hurry.  
  
The thunder splats manage to pull themselves apart and took the two teens with anger in their eyes. Since the gang was about 30 even, 15-gang member took a teen each.  
  
"You know I don't fight with girly girls," a slightly over weight man with mass red hair said.  
  
"Good then you'll don't mind if I do this!" Rena drove her fist into the guy's stomach, knocking the wind right out of him. He leaned forward as he wrapped his arms around his sore area. Rena then uppercut the guy, sending him back into two of his friends.  
  
Two guys tried to sneak up from behind the former digimon, but Rena had heard their hash breathing and jumped behind them just as their went for her. She then did something she saw Rika do once with a certain digimon king. She pulled their jeans down. Embarrassed the two tried to flee, only to have tripped over their pants and fall flat on their faces.  
  
Three guys tried for the time traveling digimon by throwing chains at her. Rena calmly and gracefully stepped to the left and caught the first chain. She spun around and caught the other one with her free hand. She ducked and caught the last one between her occupied hands as it soared over her. She jumped, taking the chains with her and dragging the gangster into a headlong collusion, knocking them out.  
  
That's six down about nine left, Rena thought as she landed. She looked around and saw that the other nine had already surrounded her. She looked around at the gangster and took in their weapons. There was just meanly clubs and chains, nothing the fox turned human couldn't handle. But that's when she saw that one of the gang member had a gun aimed right at her head and startles Rena when she notice that the guy holding the gun was about a year older then her human form and Matt. It terrible when kids that age are forced to joins gangs.  
  
Rena couldn't help but think that Rika might have ended up in something like this if it wasn't for herself and the help of one certain goggle wearing boy.  
  
Rena was brought out of her thoughts as her senses warned her that the people around her were starting to advance on her. So she jumped into the air and went straight for the kid with the handgun. With one swift kick, the gun went flying into the air. The kid watched as his precious gun fly into the air and wasn't aware that Rena had landed right beside him. She then applied a pressure point she had learned from Henry a while ago. The boy dropped into her arms and she set him down carefully. She straightened up just as the gun descended right in her right hand. Seeing that they lost they only edge, the gangsters made hasty retreat. Rena watched as the figure quickly vanished into the horizon, snorting slightly before emptying the gun and throwing it away.  
  
"I see you don't like fighting kids," a soft voice said. Rena looked to her right to see Matt sitting on a trashcan with his right leg up on another one and his arm resting on his knee. Even though he seemed calm and at ease, his eyes carried a sense of victory deep down.  
  
Rena shrugged as she walked over to him. "I know someone who nearly made a bad call," she spoke the truth.  
  
The causally expression on Matt's face suddenly turned into a slightly sad one and he looked at the kid, Rena knocked out. He look deepen a bit more and he said in a quiet, almost whisper like voice," It's hard when you hardly have any family."  
  
Rena looked down at her friend's and saw the sorrow in his eyes. She knew that kind of look from watching Rika when they were first partnered and she couldn't help but wonder what kind of tragedy the shadow fighter went through during his life?  
  
Matt continued to stare at the kid in silence for a few seconds before looking at the blonde in front of him, his casually mask back on. "Well we better bee going." He jumped from his set and began walking away.  
  
Rena looked at the kid once last time, relieved that, that wasn't Rika lying there. She hurried to catch up with her self appointed cousin before he got to far ahead.  
  
(Later at Matt's grandmother's house)  
  
Rena set on the couch in the living room, channel surfing while waiting for dinner. Since Rena wasn't much of a TV watcher, she didn't find anything appealing and just shut the thing off.  
  
Sango was busy in the kitchen, making dinner despite her all of grandson's pleas to go back to bed. The shadow fighter himself was in his room, minding his own business much like his daughter does in the future. And Rika herself was still in Rena's room sleeping.  
  
The former fox leaned her head back against the head of the couch and closed her eyes. She began thinking about everything she had learned about the soon to be father of her cursed tamer and it still confused her.  
  
The way Rumiko talked about him, I always thought that Matthew Smith was a man who wasn't held down by these negative emotions, but I saw these very emotions this day and it frighten me, Rena opened her eyes and a hint of dismay were in them. She looked over at the picture of the Smith family and couldn't help but wonder what was the goal of the shadow fighter.  
  
"That was my daughter, Rika," Startled Rena snapped her head around and saw Sango entering the living room, looking exhausted. The elder walked slowly to the setting area and took the chair on the left of the couch. She sat there for a minute, catching her breath and relaxing. She looked at Rena with a gentle smile only an elder could have and took the picture frame from it stand. "Yes my beautiful daughter and the man she loved."  
  
"Um Miss Ur-  
  
"Sango will do just fine dear," the elder interrupted gently.  
  
"Alright Sango, but I was wondering what is the proposes of the shadow fighter?" Rena asked uneasily.  
  
The elder chuckled softly to herself and looked at Rena with soft eye," The propose of the shadow fighter was forgotten centuries ago, all we know is that the shadow fighter legacy is meant to be pass through to future generations."  
  
If Rena still have her fox ears there would be twitching like mad as she asked," But I don't still see what so important about this legacy?"  
  
Sango chuckle again, only this time it was more opened. "Like I said the propose of the shadow fighters was lost way before any of us were born."  
  
"Yes I know, but I just find it odd that one family will carry this powers without anything to focus to it on," Rena said.  
  
These kinds of questions and many more have been burning deep within Rena's mind since Rumiko first told Rika and herself about the cursed tamer's heritage and now that she was with the shadow fighter himself, she was hoping to get the answers she longed for.  
  
Rena notice it had grown quiet suddenly and looked at Sango only to find she was looking at the picture of her daughter, lost in some old memory.  
  
"You know," the elder said suddenly. "My daughter was the first female shadow fighter to emerge in over five hundred years or that's what my husband said to her when her brother died."  
  
"I still don't get a few things, like how is the next shadow fighter determined?" Rena asked curiously.  
  
Sango looked at the time traveling fox with her gentle smile and said," Well according to my husband, the next shadow fighter will always be the first born and if there's a second like my daughter, they will became the next shadow fighter if first born is killed," a hint of sadness enter Sango's voice when mention her son.  
  
"Umm Sango is there a reason you came out here?" Rena decided to change the subject before she brought up anymore-bad memories for the elder.  
  
"Oh yes, I completely forget," Sango said calmly. "Dinner's ready and I was wondering if you could go and get my grandson?"  
  
Rena nodded and said with one of her small smile," Of course."  
  
She got up from her set and proceeded to make her way upstairs.  
  
"Oh and don't forget about your friend, I made a special treat for her!"  
  
"I wouldn't!" Rena replied quickly as she disappeared up the stair.  
  
She made her way slowly to the shadow fighter's room so she could have time to think about all she learned. She was still in the dark about a lot of the shadow fighter's secrets, but she had learned a few things, but not enough to put her curiosity to rest.  
  
She stepped in front of the door leading to Matt's room and knock on it twice," Matt, your grandmother sent me to fetch you for dinner."  
  
No reply came from within the room and Rena waited for a few seconds before knocking on the door again. Still nothing, so Rena opened the door and poked her head in. The room was completely empty and Rena decided to wait for Matt inside his room.  
  
Rena didn't look around the last time she was in Matt's room, but now as she waited she took in the room of her tamer's father to be. Surprisingly Rena found the room to be very plain, just like Rika's own room.  
  
The room itself was painted in the same color as Rena's room, but the walls itself were bare. The dresser, deck and bed were all in the same location as Rena's room. The sheets on the bed were a plain black.  
  
Rena looked around the room once and mutter sarcastically under her breath," Why do want to say like father, like daughter anytime I see even the smallest family resemblance in Matt?"  
  
To take her mind off and to satisfy a curious strike she had since first lying eyes on Matt, Rena took a walked over to the desk. On it was a really old piece of paper with a notebook next to it. Curious, Rena lifted the yellow, beat up piece of paper and looked at it. Written on the sheet were a bunch of black words in different format. Some were in Japanese other was English and the rest were in languages Rena didn't even know. As she was trying to make heads or tails out of this weird form of writing, a shadow silently crept up behind her.  
  
"What is this?" Rena asked herself.  
  
"You know you may live here now, but it doesn't mean you can just come into my room whenever you please," Matt's causally voice said from behind Rena.  
  
Startled Rena jumped an inch off the ground and whirled around to see Matt, smiling in amusement.  
  
"Well you do know it's rude just to come into a person room when they're doing their private time," Matt said in his dry humor.  
  
"Well your grandmother sent me to fetch you because dinner is ready," Rena replied calmly and then held up the sheet. "And what is this?"  
  
Matt took one look at the sheet and shrugged casually," It's just something my grandpa left me, I translate it for fun when I got the time."  
  
"How much have you gotten done?" Rena asked out of curiosity.  
  
Matt shrugged and he put his hands on his pants pockets as he said," Just look behind you."  
  
Rena raised an eyebrow when Matt flashed a Rika smirk. Sighing she turned around and look at book on the desk. On top of the paper were the words, the shadow's last stand.  
  
The fox turned human look at the shadow fighter with a clueless expression and in return Matt shrugged as he said," That's as far as I got."  
  
Rena looked at the shadow fighter suspiciously for a quick second before turning back to the notebook on the desk. She couldn't help but feel that the page the single sentence was written up was familiar to her in a strange sense.  
  
"C'mon I don't want dinner to get cold," Matt said and turned towards the door.  
  
Rena watched Matt left the room with half of her interested. She looked at piece of paper suspiciously one last time before leaving the room and making her way to her room to get Rika.  
  
(Next day, early morning)  
  
Rena stepped into the fogged covered back yard, slipping on the jacket of her freshly clear workout uniform. She was expecting to see her workout buddy doing his usual morning routines, but was surprised to find the back yard empty. She began scanned the horizon, expecting Matt to jump at her anytime now. Still everything was quiet. After searching without success, Rena closed her eyes and opened her senses to the world around her. She began searching for Matt again and found him on the roof. Rena opened her eyes and in one swift motion, Jumped onto the roof, next to the shadow fighter.  
  
Matt didn't even seem to notice the company he just gain. He just stared up at the full moon with unfocused eyes. Rena wondered about her "cousin" and slowly reached out to touch his shoulder.  
  
"You know I can always tell when there's a full moon even when night hasn't came yet," the shadow fighter said solemnly.  
  
Rena stopped her hand and stared at the boy in front of her confused. "Why do you know that?" she asked out curiosity and took a set next to Matt.  
  
The shadow fighter sigh depressingly and looked down at the fog cover ground," The full moon tires in with my painful past. A past I really don't want to talk about."  
  
For probably the first time since Rena meat the boy, she saw the real Matthew Smith. She saw the hurt and scared boy who hides behind a causal mark. Again she was reminded of a certain fire colored hair human that was currently was stuck as a small digital fox.  
  
For the longest time, the fighting pair just set there, doing their own thing. Matt was looking at the moon again, lost in a painful memory and Rena was staring at the boy, trying to figure out a few things about the boy in front of her.  
  
"You want to ask me anything?" Matt said without looking at the digimon turned human.  
  
"Huh?" Rena blinked twice, really not getting understanding what was just ask of her. "What?"  
  
Matt looked at the blonde with a serious face and said," My grandfather said when a person stares at someone, they usually want to ask that some buddy something, so do you?"  
  
"Um," a thousands questions ran through the fox's mind at once, but she picked one that probably would get her hurt," Well it was obvious that you were using those gang member as a way of working off your frustration and I was just wondering why?"  
  
Sadness replaced the seriousness in Matt's eyes and he looked back at the moon. For the longest time, Matt was silent and kept letting out deeps sighs ever now and then. Rena was starting to wonder if she made a big mistake asking him that?  
  
She reached out a hand to try and comfort the boy when he spoke, stopping her once again," About six mouths ago, my grandmother had a heart attack. It was nothing live threatening though, but it left her with a weaken heart."  
  
Matt sighed deeply and let Rena take in his words. She looked at the boy before her and saw that he was struggling to keep himself from crying.  
  
"The doctor said to much stress and her heart could go again, only much worse this time," sadness had entered the boy's voice and he began shaking slightly.  
  
Rena not knowing what to do in this kind of solution did the first thing that popped into her head, which was to put her arms around Matt in a comforting way. "Hey it's okay everyone have someone there don't want to lose." As Rena spoke these words a picture of a certain red dinosaur being staging by a icy white devil and for a moment she was threaten with tears of her own as memories about the one closest to her flowed into her mind. She passed these disturbing thoughts aside for the time being, she now needed focus on the boy in her arms.  
  
"She's, she's the only family I got," Matt was now sobbing freely, and tears were hitting the roof. "I don't want to loose her, so I...so I..." Matt couldn't finish his sentence because he was starting hiccupping from all of his crying.  
  
Rena didn't need any more words; she had already pieced it together. "So you fight out of school to keep yourself out of trouble so not to worry your grandmother, Rena finished Matt's sentence in her mind.  
  
Rena let Matt get out all of those negative emotions he had been holding back for years by crying on her shoulder. He cried for a good time minutes, socking Rena's jacket, but the fox turned human didn't care. Finally after another minute, Matt started to calm down and his sobbing slowed. He pulled away and looked at Rena with a relieved smile.  
  
"Better?" the fox turned human asked.  
  
The shadow fighter replied by nodding his head and saying causally," Yeah, but if you ever tell anyone about this especially my grandmother, you'll wish you'll never born."  
  
Rena sweat dropped as an image of a certain redhead telling another certain goggle wearing boy the same threat and said uneasily," Sure no problem."  
  
Matt flashed his causal smile and said in his usually way," well if you don't mind holding our rematch until tomorrow, I think I'll go for a jog?"  
  
"No, I don't mind," Rena, replied shacking her head. "I know you need to calm down more."  
  
"Thanks Rena...for everything," Matt had said the last part to himself, but with her sanative hearing, Rena had picked it up, but said nothing.  
  
The shadow fighter got up and zipped up his jacket. He patted Rena on the shoulder once and then jumped into the night. Rena closed her eyes and opened her senses, watching as Matt disappeared into the shadows. She opened her eyes again when she lost track of her tamer's father and jumped from the roof. She entered the house and went up to the second floor, planning on doing some of the homework she had put off, when she heard what sounded like wincing coming from the bathroom. Curious Rena slowly walked up to the room's closed door and saw the light were on through the creak on the bottom. She heard the wincing again and immediately opened the door.  
  
There leaning against the suit was Sango, gripping her chest with her right hand. Sweat was pooling down the old woman's face and she looked to be in great pain.  
  
"Sango what's the matter?" Rena rushed to the elder's side and helped her to the toilet set.  
  
"Can you get a bottle in the cabinet?" Sango asked weakly.  
  
"Um okay," Rena turned around and looked for any type of bottle.  
  
"I hide it behind my jar of vapor cream," Sango told Rena weakly.  
  
Rena nodded and moved the jar aside and saw a small orange bottle like the one people keep medicine in. She grabbed it and showed it to the elder.  
  
Sango nodded and said weakly," Yes that's the one, now hand me two of the pills with a glass of water."  
  
Rena nodded and did as she was told. She handed the water and two small cercal pills to Rika's great grandmother. Sango downed the pills and water in one gulp. Rena took the empty glass and put it on the counter. She looked at the elder and studied her.  
  
Sango sat there for a moment, like she had fallen asleep, waiting for her medicine kicked in. Her breathing slowly returned to normal and she stopped sweating. After a minute the elder opened her eyes and looked at the fox turned human with heavy eyes.  
  
"Please Rena don't Matt about this?" the elder asked sympathetically.  
  
"Umm okay," Rena replied, feeling uneasy for the second time in the past few minutes. "But can I ask what was just wrong with you?"  
  
Sango chuckled half-heartedly and replied in a soft tone," I had a heart attack about six mouth ago."  
  
"Yes, your grandson told me about it," Rena replied calmly.  
  
"But what he doesn't know is that my heart had weaken to the point when it could gave out at anytime," Sango said calmly.  
  
Rena gasped and asked confusingly," Then why don't you tell Matt about this?"  
  
Sadness crossed the elder aged face and said to herself," He's has enough problems as it, he's doesn't need to have a old person like myself getting in the way." But with her hearing, Rena heard everything and it made her confused and angry at the same time.  
  
"Hey your grandson loves you deeply and what does you mean by problems?" Rena asked in a slight angered voice and put her hands on her hips on a demanding way.  
  
Sango looked up at the blonde beauty and Rena again realized she had heard what wasn't support to be heard. The two stared at each other for a moment before Rena relaxed and sigh.  
  
"Look I know Matt loves you very much, so why don't you just tell him?" Rena asked in a tired voice.  
  
Sango stared at the girl for a minute, slightly stunned before titling her head down and sighing. She got off the toilet without even saying a word. She walked towards the door, but stopped when she's in the frame. She sighs again and looks at Rena with serious, sad and tired eyes," Rena I know you'll want to help this family, but something are just better left to the family themselves." And with that said, the elder lift for her room.  
  
Rena stared at the spot where the elder just was, puzzled by this new development before sighing and muttering," Sometimes I wonder about this family I'm in." She then went to her own room to try and sort this out.  
  
(Later at School)  
  
A blue skirt that went down to the knees with a matching blue sailor shirt with an orange scarf and brown loafers with knee high soaks. That was the uniform that all the girls have to wear at Matt's school and Rena didn't like it one bit.  
  
She was looking herself in the bathroom mirror, feeling embarrassed beyond belief. She didn't like how her legs were exposed to the air, making her shiver slightly. She now understood why Rika hated skirts so much and it took everything Rena had to keep herself from ripping this cursed uniform off and putting on the clothes she was most comfortable in.  
  
Sighing, Rena picked up her school bag and the bag that had her usual clothes in it and looked at herself one last time, feeling awkward about the way she looked. With another sigh, she gathered up all her courage and stepped out of the girl's bathroom and into the school.  
  
Matt was waiting for our favorite time traveling, species changing fox by the door. He was leaning against the wall to the right of the door with his eyes closed and his bag under his right arm.  
  
"Hey what's up?" Rena moved towards Matt and something brushed against her right foot. Looking down she saw tones of paper balls scattered along the floor, some were even soaking wet. Looking back at her friends, she hoped to find some type of answers to the mass near his feet.  
  
She didn't need to wait for long because a paper ball, soaking wet was heading straight towards the shadow's fighter's head. But with a swift hand, Matt knocked the ball out of aid-air. Rena watched as the ball hit the floor and bounced once before looked at Matt with a raised eyebrow.  
  
The shadow fighter shrugged and said causally," Nothing but the usual for me."  
  
The two began walking to their homeroom with the other students giving both of them icy glares. It would seem that hanging with Matt had earn the fox turned human the same type of treatment as the shadow fighter and the suited Rena just fine.  
  
As they walked Rena picked up on conservation with her hearing.  
  
"So is your bro in on it man?" voice 1 asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah, he's want to get back at the Smith kid for what he and that blonde chick did to him last night," the second voice replied cockily.  
  
Curious, Rena looked to the right, where the sources of the voice were coming from. She saw two boys, following Matt and herself from distance. There wasn't really anything special about the two, expect the boy on the right was wearing a black bandana, which want against the school dress code. The other boy was just your typical Japanese boy with black hair in a similar style to that of Ryo.  
  
Rena was about to forget about the boys trailing her, when she spotted the necklaces both boys were wearing. It was a gray colored thunder splat symbol. Rena's eyes widen slightly as everything was starting to make sense.  
  
The boys following Matt and Rena were obviously members of the Thunder Splats and there were watching the two fighters. And it was clear that these boys had something against Matt, but then again even single person in this school probably had something against the shadow fighter.  
  
Rena turned to toward Matt with the attention to warn him, only to find that he was also staring at the boys.  
  
"Friends of your?" the fox asked in dry sarcasm.  
  
"The boy wearing the bandana is the brother of one of these guys I beat up daily," Matt said, jolting his thumb over his right shoulder. "It would seem he finally is getting sick and tired of me beating on him."  
  
Rena didn't missed the pride that had arisen when he mentioned the guys he beats up and Rena rolled her eyes, once again thinking about his daughter from the future. He looked back the Thunder Splat member to see them turning a corner.  
  
I'll have to keep my eyes on those boys in the near future, Rena thought.  
  
(After school)  
  
After convincing Matt or more like bribing him into taking the easy way and avoid fighting the Thunder Splats member, Matt and Rena were walking home the same routine they take to school. But the fox turned human couldn't shack the feeling that something was off, like a digimon was about to emerge from the digital world. But she knew that the digital world wasn't even created yet, so what was bothering her so much?  
  
Matt on the other hand was disappointed and let it know by sighing slightly. "You know after that meatball fest, I was all geared up from a little gang bashing," he muttered to himself, but with her hearing, Rena heard him.  
  
The fox turned human rolled her eyes and said in a up beat tone," Hey I said I would fight you when we got home didn't I?"  
  
Matt sighed again and opened his mouth to say something when the sound of shrieking tires shut it again. The fighters looked behind them just in time to see a beat up navy Ford truck, madly swirling around a corner. In the driver seat was the boy with the arm guard from the other day and on the back were the kids, Rena saw during school. The kids were wielding the trademark weapons of the Thunder splats, a chain and a club.  
  
"You know these three remind me of certain people I meant during my travels," Rena said, her voice float.  
  
"Who cares, just jump! Matt bent at the knees and jumped up onto the fence. He looked back to see Rena eyeing the truck nervously. "What's the problem, just jump already before you're a blonde street pizza!"  
  
Rena continued to stare at the truck as it speeds towards her. Her human fear had for some reason kicked in when she saw the truck and now she was frozen in fear.  
  
"You idiot, moved already!!!" That voice snapped Rena out of it and she jumped just as the truck was about to run her over. She landed in front of Matt and the two looked at each other. They nodded quickly and took off, running across the fence gracefully with the truck following them below and the kids screaming insults to them.  
  
(...)  
  
Me: Yup another chapter done and sealed.  
  
Rika (Looking sly): You know you probably just should call it quiets with this one.  
  
Me (Annoyed): Why?  
  
Rika: Because no one is reviewing, which means this story, like your others are stickers.  
  
Me (Angry): Listen I don't start other story until I complete the one I'm working on and if got something against me let settle it here and now.  
  
Rika (Getting to fighting stance): Bring it on.  
  
Rika and myself (Circling each other for a short period of time before throwing punches at each other): AAAAHHH!!  
  
BlackRenamon (Getting in between us): Hey guys thought you might what's some of my-oof! (Getting hit on both sides)  
  
Me (Watching my partner fall to the ground like a tone of bunks): oops. 


	5. Cursed in The Shadows

Me: Hey everyone M here to tell ya all that's a familiar face is going to be appearing in this chapter.  
  
Rika (Hopeful): Gogglehead?  
  
Me: Nope, he's only in the first chapter. Why miss him?  
  
Rika (Embarrassed): NO! I thought this series was support be about Gogglehead and myself.  
  
Me: True but if you remember this is just a side story to fill in some of the gasps that I will be putting into the In-Training sequel.  
  
Rika (Screaming): THEN WHY ARE YOU WRITING THIS NOW!!!!!  
  
Me (Grinning Slyly): When I say I'm going be a tease I mean it. Beside it's builds up the drama that way.  
  
Rika (Muttering angrily): You really know how to makes me mad.  
  
Me: That's my job.  
  
Shadows of The Past:  
Chapter 5: Cursed in The Shadows  
  
"Man I wish these stupid gangsters will just get off our back!!" Matt screamed over his shoulder to his companion.  
  
"You think you have it rough? Rena shouted back to him. "Try wearing a skirt with a couple of hormones driven teens on your tail!"  
  
"Hey why did you think I jumped in front of you Rena?" the fox turned human didn't missed the amusement in her friend's voice and that caused a low growl to escape Rena. She vowed to get Matt back once they were out of this mass.  
  
The truck owned by the Thunder Splat has been chasing the fighting pair for a good 15 minutes and it was starting to work on the pair's nerves. On the back of the vehicle, the kids had somehow gotten their hands on a large amount of fruit and were now throwing it at them, hoping to trip them up, but with their fighting skulls, Matt and Rena were able to dodge the produces.  
  
"Will you two just fall already?" the bandana wearing kid shouted angrily.  
  
"Hey!" the bandana wearing kid's friend said harshly and slipped his friend on the shoulder. "Don't spoil the view."  
  
He looked up, getting a clear view under Rena's skirt and his bandana- wearing friend joined him a minute later. With her increased hearing Rena had picked up the little talk the friends had and that caused an angry growl to escape from Rena. She skips over the remains of an orange that one of the kids had thrown and picked up the juicy object in one swift monition. She then executed a wide forward flip, throwing the fruit in the process. The remains of the orange hit the roof of the truck with such force that it splatter, sending some of it juices right into the kids eyes and burning them.  
  
Rena allowed a small victory grin to appear as she heard the kids hollowed out in pain and she could imagine them gripping their eyes in attempt to rid themselves of the juice burning their eyes.  
  
HA! Take that you stupid prevents! Rena screamed victoriously in her mind.  
  
"Rats!" Matt curse.  
  
Curious, Rena look over Matt's shoulder and saw they were running out of fence to run on. Then she saw an elderly man, older then Matt's grandmother with a boy about they age with bright blonde hair and deep grayish, sliver eyes. The boy was probably the man's grandson was carrying golden retriever puppy in his hands. Rena began to worry that the jerks will run them over them.  
  
Matt also saw this little predicament and began cursing in English. He then saw a turn that lead down to a dark, wide-open street and he grinned. He jumped from the fence and right in front of the speeding truck.  
  
"Hey follow me if you think you're man enough!" Matt said in a mocking voice and flashed his rear like a target.  
  
That got the three Thunder Splat members very angry and they followed Matt blindly into the alley. Rena watched as the truck rapidly vanishes into the alley, feeling relieved that Matt was able to get these madmen away from the innocent bystanders before they were hurt. She looked at the bystanders to see the old man holding his frightened grandson in a warm embrace, the golden puppy whimpering in its owner hands.  
  
The old man lifted his head up and looked at Rena with eyes of a soldier. The blonde haired former digimon locked her battle weary eyes onto the former soldier's and they came to an understanding through their stares. Rena looked at the boy for another second before jumping off the fence and giving chase to the truck.  
  
That boy, he looked like someone I know from the future, but that can't be him, can it? Rena tried to put together the resembling to the boy she just saw and the man running the watchtower that over looks the digital world as she ran, looking for Matt and the Thunder Splat members.  
  
Luckily Rena had a trail of tipped over trashcans with trash spilling from it and skid marks, swirling to and away from building. The fox turned human looked at everything with heavy eyes and a sweat dropping forming on the back of her head.  
  
She sighs heavily and muttered to herself," If I'm not following one reckless teenager, I'm following a hold lot of them."  
  
Looking at a can nearest to her, feasting with rats, Rena sighs once more before once again giving chase. Following the trail that was so nicely place there for her, the former digimon came to another alley, where the Ford was parked. Running up to the mouth of the alley, she heard the sound of chain hitting pavement.  
  
"Stay still so I can massed up that face of your really good!" she heard that redhead Thunder Splat screamed angrily and was followed by the sound o his chain hitting the ground again.  
  
"No thanks I like my face just as it is," Matt said in a serious tone, which was a change from his usual casual tone of voice.  
  
Curious, Rena peeked into the alley and saw her "cousin" jumping off the walls of the narrow alley to avoid the Thunder Splat's chain. The kids that were throwing the fruit at the pair early were now lying unconscious near the opening of the alley. Rena was relived that they didn't look hurt, only subdue. Letting out a relieved sigh the fox turned her attention back to the fight at hand and notice a few things she missed early.  
  
Matt had his uniform jacket off and had it around something he was curdling in his left arm. That and his eyes didn't have that victory glee hidden deep within his them. Instead his eyes seemed to be showing concern for the thing in his arm.  
  
Matt jumped to avoid the chain yet again and saw the blonde fighter's crystal blue eyes following him. He bounced off of a building and landed in front of Rena.  
  
"Here take her and be gentle," Matt held out the thing that was covered by his jacket, gently. Rena did as she was told and immediately notice that bunched up jacket was shivering slightly. "I'll take care of this clown and then we can see to getting her some help."  
  
Matt spun around on his heels and Rena saw the red mark through the rips on the back of the shirt, but what she really notice was the large wound on Matt's right shoulder, blooding running to his hand and dripping from it. Seeing that blood made everything clean to the disguised fox. Matt couldn't use his right hand, so he wasn't able to fight with it and thus gave up whatever was he was carrying to finish this guy off. But at the same time Rena couldn't help but feel that Matt really wanted to help whatever is under his jacket.  
  
Matt stepped up to the guy and the Thunder Splat grinned cockily as he began swinging his chain. He whipped it against the ground and threw it at Matt. The shadow fighter stood there with unflinching nerves and caught the chain with ease. He pulled on the chain hard, forcing the Thunder Splat member off of his feet and right at Matt. The shadow fighter threw his head into his opponent's head and followed that up with a swift knee jab to the gut. Finally he let go of the chain and delivered a sharp uppercut to Red's chain, sending him a good two feet in the air. The guy landed hard on his back and finally the guy out for the count.  
  
Sighing in relief for the third time that day, Rena to walk over at Matt collapsed to his knees.  
  
"You going to make it?" Rena asked as she kneeled down to examining her friend closely.  
  
Matt gave the fox a reassuring smile and said in his casual voice," Yeah, just a little tired from the entire running and not to mention the suddenly blood lose. But it's nothing a good night rest with some of my grand's special medicine wouldn't cure. So how's the cat?" Matt's voice took on a very serious tone as he looked at his jacket.  
  
Cat?" Curious, Rena lifted up the fabric and looked at the pure blonde furred cat, shivering in her arms. There's a small red mark on it right front paw.  
  
The fox turned human looked at her "cousin" confusingly and asked," What happened before I found you?"  
  
Matt leaned against a wall on his left side, so not to irrupt his wound and breathed out heavily. "Well it began as I lid these Thunder Splat jerks into this alley..."  
  
(Flashback...Matt's P.O.V.)  
  
I ran into the alley, not realizing at the moment that it was much more wider then I thought it was and the truck had no problem getting in there. I began darting left and right, in hopes to try and make them crash, but when I heard trashcans tipping over and tires screeching, I knew that guy had some driving skulls behind him.  
  
So I continued on running, darting here and there in hopes of getting these jerks off of my back. Plus it didn't help matters that I was starting to tire out. But it would seem that lady luck was on my side today as I saw another alleyway that was to small for the truck to get through and went for it immediately. I dash into the alley only to find it was nothing but a dead end. I turned around to leave and saw the three Thunder Splat members had parked their truck in the mouth of the alley, blocking my escape routine.  
  
The three gangsters got out of their vehicle and bear their weapons. I was a little surprised when the bandana wearing kid pulled out a whip instead of a chain or a club like his friends.  
  
"Haha. It time for you to pay for all you done to me," Red said with a cocky grin.  
  
"Hey I beat you down everyday, so what makes you think this time will be any different? And besides when I broke your arm that was by an accident," I said calmly.  
  
"I don't care!!!" Red screamed angrily. "I'm just sick and tired of eating dirt, so now it's your turned to have a nice dirt pie."  
  
The three began advancing on me and I readied myself. One of the Thunder Splat's must have stepped on something because a loud feline shriek filled air and something leapt out of the shadows. It latched onto the bandana wearing kid's face.  
  
I watched as a pure blonde furred cat began clawing the kid's face in fear. The kid grabbed the cat by the fur and after a little effort pulled it off. He threw her to the ground and creaked his whip. Luckily the boy wasn't a good aim and the whip hit her paw.  
  
For some reason, seeing that cat taken a beaten got my blood boiling. Attacking me was one thing, but beating a defenseless creature that was only doing what came natural was just plain wrong. My tattoo showed my anger by glowing a deep red color.  
  
With a soft battle cry I charged at the gangsters. I slammed my body into them and pushed them away from the cat. I gave them a quick spun kick to their jaws to hold them at bar for a moment. I then turned to the cat and stared at her unnatural blue eyes and became lost in them. It was like everything around us disappeared and we were all that were left in the entire world. I could see a scared human soul buried deep within these beautiful and captivating eyes.  
  
I notice that the cat has begun shivering and without thinking, I took off my jacket and wrapped it around the cat as took her into my arms. I felt like I wanted to do nothing but hold this creature in my arms and protect it for the rest of my life.  
  
But sadly tender moments like those never last long for me. I felt cool leather hit against my shoulder, followed by cold steel hitting against that same spot. My arm go numb and it fill to my side as I turned to face the three angrily gangsters. But for once I didn't feel like fighting because I didn't want to upset that beautiful creature anymore then it was, so I did the only other that came to my mind. I began dodging the weapons that were thrown at me.  
  
(End of Flashback...Normal P.O.V.)  
  
"...That kid with the whip was able to scar my back little before I knock him and his buddy out with a couple of pressure point I learned from my grandpa," Matt out let a high sigh as he finished his tail and closed his eyes. For a moment he didn't move and Rena fear that he may have passed out from blood lost. She slowly outstretched her hand to touch Matt's shoulder when his eyes shot opened. "Well let go."  
  
He slowly worked his ways back to his feet and put his uninjured hand on the wall for support. He began walking towards the mouth of the alley, but lost his balance and began falling. Luckily Rena caught him just before his fell on his bad shoulder.  
  
"Let me help you," the fox turned human offered kindly.  
  
Rena could see in Matt's eyes that he didn't want help, but he didn't voice it. Instead he said in his dry humor," Okay boss, but just one question, how are we going to get over that truck?"  
  
Rena looked at the parked Ford with a big sweat drop forming on the back of her head. That's a really good question, Rena replied in her mind, but said instead," I'm sure we'll find a way."  
  
"I'm sure we will," Matt said and flashed his casual smile.  
  
(Matt's grandmother's house)  
  
Sango was dusking off the front porch, while humming to herself. She looked up from her work, wondering where her grandson and his friend were?  
  
That's strange Matt's never this late, She wondered to herself.  
  
She went to go back to her sweeping when she heard something like ruffling leaf. Looking up again, she saw Rena carrying her grandson and a blonde cat with her. Dropping her broom, she hurried over to her grandson and his friend, concerned for them.  
  
"Are you all right?" Sango asked and gasped when she saw the blood dripping from her grandson's hand. "What happened?"  
  
"Let just say I don't have the best of times making friends," Matt tried to use his casual voice, but the lost of blood was starting to make he dizzy and it was hard to put anything behind his voice.  
  
"Hurry and bring him inside," Sango commanded and spun around on her heels. She ran into her house with speed uncommon for someone her age.  
  
"Grand please take it easy!" Matt found the strength to plea to his grandmother as Rena carried him into the house.  
  
Sango lid Rena into the kitchen and pulled a chair out from the table. "Set Matt down in the chair gently," she in that commanding voice.  
  
Rena nodded and did as she was told.  
  
"Matt, I going to take off your shirt, now this might hurt a little," Sango explained in a soft, comforting voice.  
  
The shadow fighter opened his mouth to protest, but his grandma yanked his shirt off causing him to hollowing in pain.  
  
Sango began gently running her fingers through all of her grandson's wounds, examining each one carefully and causing him to wince slightly. Her fingers rested on a semi large gaping hole in Matt's shoulder and gently pressed in. Matt yipped and jumped in his chair.  
  
"Sorry," Sango said sincerely and then turned serious again. "Well these smaller wounds don't look to serious, but it the cut on your shoulder I worried about. It's deep and you lost a lot of blood, but I really don't think it to alarming."  
  
She then went to a cabinet close to the sink and took something out of it. She turned around and showed Rena an old brown pouch and a roll of bandages. A small gasp escaped the fox turned human when she saw that pouch.  
  
That's the same pouch Rumiko carry around with her, Rena thought, eyeing the pouch surprisingly.  
  
Sango ignored the shocked human and went to her grandson. Opening it, she took out a hand full of deep green muss and gently smeared it across Matt's injured shoulder. Matt tried to suppress the urge to cry out in pain, but a few groans escaped him.  
  
The muss seemed to harden around the wound, forming a barrier around it and stopping the bleeding. Sango then gently wrapped the bandages around her grandson's shoulder. Matt was glad the effects of the remedy was immediate because he didn't want to show any more weakness in front of Rena.  
  
"Wow," Needless to say Rena was speechless, but it wasn't just from seeing the pouch. She was amazed of the level of skull Matt's grandmother display when nursing her grandson. "Where did you learn to do that?"  
  
Sango looked at the disguised digimon with a gentle smile and said," Well dear I used to be a nurse before my heart attack, but after that my grandson pleaded with the office to transfer me to a dusk job. And now mister what happened to you?"  
  
Rena opened her mouth to explain but Matt quickly interrupted her," I saw a group of bullies beating up on that cat in Rena's hand for no reason and I got mad."  
  
"Cat?" Sango looked at Rena, really noticing the feline in her hands for the first time. The cat had passed out about half way during the trip home and was now resting in Rena's hand.  
  
Sango carefully took the cat from Rena and curdled it in her arms. She examined the cat's paw and was relieved that the wound was only small.  
  
"Well this one look all right too, but I wonder who would hurt a poor defenseless creature." Sango asked no one in practically.  
  
Matt shrugged and said," Who know, but I give those jerks a good beating that's for sure."  
  
Rena looked in Matt's eye and saw for the first time that he wasn't trying to hide his anger. It was like he could see past the feline body and into the human soul that was buried deep inside.  
  
What am I saying, Rena thought. This is Matthew Smith, the soon to be father of my tamer, of course he can see that the cat is more then she seems.  
  
"Hey look it got a name tap," Sango said suddenly, bring Rena out of her thoughts.  
  
"Really?" Matt asked and his grandmother nodded.  
  
Curious, the shadow fighter lifted himself from his set and moved over to his grandmother. Rena knew what was on that tag, but need to keep up appearance also moved behind the elder. The two got a good look at the cercal nametag attached to a black leather collar. But the weirdest thing was that there was only the word. Rumiko was the only thing written on the tag.  
  
Matt titled his head to the side in confusion and then looked at Rena," That's just like Rika's collar."  
  
Rena sweat dropped and said in a slightly nervous tone," Yes, quit the concordance don't you think?"  
  
Matt raised a suspicious eyebrow, feeling not for the first time that the person he was looking at knew more then she was letting on. He decided to drop it for now and turned back to the beautiful creature in his grandmother's arms.  
  
"Hey gram don't you think you should treat that wound before it becomes infected?" Matt asked, nodding his head at the injured paw.  
  
"Oh you're right Matt," Sango said and moved to the table.  
  
The elder took a seat and gently set Rumiko on the table. She grabbed the pouch with her family remedy and was prepared to patch up the paw when Rumiko's eyes snapped opened. For a second Sango was stun at seeing blue eyes on a cat, but it passed when she saw Rumiko began licking her injury.  
  
"Hey don't do that, you'll only make it worse," Sango said gently and leaned down.  
  
Rumiko wasn't aware of the others in the room until she heard the voice. She stopped licking her wound and looked up at the elder first. She then looked at a boy with black hair with a mass of yellow in it and had the most stunning violets colored eyes she even seen. Rumiko was threatened to just get lost in those eyes for hours, but quickly looked at the blonde before that could happen.  
  
Being in an unfamiliar place and seeing all of those unfamiliar faces caused Rumiko's feline's instincts to kick in and she did the only thing a scared kitty cat is supported to do. She jumped off the table, despite her injured paw and ran with all her might under table.  
  
Matt, his grandmother and Rena all looked on as the cat executed one of it most primate instincts with curious eyes.  
  
"Matt did you notice those eye?" Sango asked her grandson.  
  
Matt simply nodded and shoved his hands in his uniform pockets. He walked up to the table, took the pouch from his grandmother's hand gently and got onto his stomach. He made a face as pain shoot through his shoulder, but he ignored it and extended his left hand like he was showing Rumiko that he wasn't going to hurt her.  
  
"C'mon girl, let get that paw patched up," Matt spoke in a soft almost whisper like tone.  
  
Rumiko was afraid that this beautiful stranger was trying to trick her and she panicked. She clawed at Matt's hand, leaving three small wounds on the side of his hand. Matt yipped and yakked his hand back. He looked at the blood coming out of the wounds and surprisingly let a gentle smile form on his lips.  
  
"Man you're sure one mean wildcat," Matt spoke in an even gentler tone then before and looked at the cat under the table with trusting eyes.  
  
Something in his voice and eyes seem to say something Rumiko. They had a warm trusting feeling to them, something Rumiko hasn't seen since her time. She stared up at the man with these stunning eyes and for the first times in mouths felt safe.  
  
Rumiko slowly made her way out from under the table and Matt took her gently in his arms. Dropping the pouch on the table, he began stroking Rumiko's fur just right, causing the blonde cat to begin purring softly. Matt took a seat at the table and continued to pet Rumiko.  
  
Rena and Sango had made themselves scarves a whole ago, but the shadow fighter didn't even notice that his only family and friend had even lift because he was to intertwine with this strange cat with the human-like eyes. It was the first time since the passing of his grandfather that he actually let down his barriers and for the first time actually truly felt at peace.  
  
Matt didn't notice that throughout the entire time he was with Rumiko that his tattoo was flashing between white and black.  
  
(Rena's room)  
  
Rika laid on her back, looking up at the ceiling, bored out of her mind. She had slept half the day away, but had woken up about a couple hours ago and Rena had shut her door, leaving Rika tripped in her room.  
  
Normally when she was this bored she was bugged Rena to go to the Mutsaki bakery to bug gogglehead.  
  
"Gogglehead," Rika sigh as she turned onto her stomach. She would never say this out loud, but the digimon queen missed her goofy gogglehead. She missed teasing him, fighting with him, but most importantly she just missed being with him. "I guess it's true about what they say about never knowing how good something is until it's gone."  
  
"I never thought I would actually hear these words come out of the mouth of the famous digimon queen herself," a light humor filled voice said.  
  
Startled, Rika up to see Rena closing the door to her room. Once the cursed tamer saw what her partner was wearing, she burst out laughing.  
  
"What's so funny little one?" Rena asked, putting her hands on her hips in a Rika-like way.  
  
Rika managed to get her laughter subdue enough to answer her partner," It just that uniform you're wearing." And started to laugh again.  
  
Rena looked down at her uniform and then back at her cursed tamer with a raised eyebrow," And just what's wrong with this uniform?"  
  
"It just looks funny on you?" Rika answered through her laughing.  
  
Rena just rolled her eyes and let Rika get this out of her system as she changed into her street clothes. Finally after five minutes Rika calm down enough to get her laughter under control.  
  
"Done?" Rena asked with a raised eyebrow and Rika nodded. "Good. Now mind telling what was so funny?"  
  
Rika in danger of another laughing fit, managed to say," When I saw you in that uniform the first thing that popped into my head was you in your true form, wearing that uniform." With that said the cursed tamer once again broke out laughing.  
  
Rena rolled her eyes again and waited for Rika to calm down again. This time it only took the fire colored fox three minutes to settled down. She then looked up at her humanized partner with narrow angry eyes.  
  
"What was the big idea leaving me in this room all day huh?" the little fox asked demandingly. "Do you have any idea how boring it is with no one to bug?"  
  
A small smile blossomed on the disguised digimon's face as she said," Well little one I didn't really mean to leave you along, but it wouldn't really matter now."  
  
"Huh?" Rika looked at her partner confused, but before she could ask what she meant, Rena scoop the cursed tamer up and went downstairs.  
  
Rika was surprised when she saw her father, sitting on the couch, petting the blonde fur of a cat in his arm and humming to it. The cat's ears were twitching in rhythm with Matt's humming.  
  
Is that my... Curious, Rika jumped from Rena's arms and onto the couch. She slowly walked up and examined the cat. Her fur was filled of dirt and gram from being out on the streets for so long and the obvious bandage on her paw.  
  
When Rumiko saw the strange fox coming towards her, she panicked and tried to get someplace safe. Matt gently tightened his hold on the hysterical cat and lean down to her right ear.  
  
"Don't worry Rumiko, Rika's just like you," Matt softly whispered into Rumiko's ear.  
  
The blonde feline stopped her struggling and looked at the boy with trusting eyes. She wanted to get lost in those eyes forever and just forget her troubles. But her sanative hearing informed her that the strange fox, named Rika was closing in.  
  
Forcing herself away from those stunning set of eyes, Rumiko looked at the fox, realizing for the first time that she carried the same eyes as the boy holding her.  
  
The two animals looked in deeply into each other's eyes, both seeing the human souls that rested deep within. Rika walked up to the cat and took in a good whiff of her scent. Wild cherries and blueberries filled Rika's nose.  
  
Rika remember after being cursed when her mother held her, that she her gotten a whiff of her scent and the cat's was the same as her mother. So that mean's that the cat in front of her was indeed her mother from this time.  
  
Rika then did something that even Rena wasn't prepared for. She yipped like a normal fox. Everything seemed to become stiff as stone as they waited from the blonde feline to reply. After a minute of waiting, Rumiko bunched up in Matt's hands and let out a shy, almost timid meow.  
  
Rika took that as a yes and jumped at her future mother, forcing her out of Matt's arms and onto the couch. The two began wrestling around playfully or Rika began playing around, while Rumiko just went along for the ride, but in a few minutes she joined in on the fun. Matt was worried that Rumiko might hurt her paw more and his tattoo showed it by flashing green.  
  
"Hey be carefully you two," Matt said, sounding like a concern father.  
  
"AAH, don't worry about it Matt," Rena said casually. "I'm sure Rika wouldn't do anything that will hurt Rumiko."  
  
Matt looked at the disguised fox for a quick second before turning his eyes at the small animals on the couch. They were dangerous close to the edge of the cough and Matt was worried that they might fall. The two animals saw the edge and rolled onto the couch.  
  
Rumiko managed to get onto of the fire colored fox and playfully licked Rika on the nose. The cursed tamer bunched her face up in disgust and she was tipped to use her bubble attack, but she knew that, that would draw to much attention. So putting all of her strength into it, Rika rolled to her side, taking her playmate with her and getting on top of the cat. Rika was careful not to touch her bandage paw as she leaned down and licked Rumiko's nose.  
  
Rena watched the future mother and daughter playing around like a couple of children with one of her small smiles. It was a big change to see them actually having fun together like normal people instead of having them at each others throats like back in the present.  
  
It's good just to let yourself go once in a while, The fox turned human mused softly to herself.  
  
(...)  
  
Close to where Matt, fought these three Thunder Splat members, a young boy about two years older then Matt himself was wondering around, looking for something. He wore a long black trench coat that covered his plain black t-shirt and black jeans. His sneakers hit the ground silently as he wondering around. His deep blonde hair was cut in short.  
  
This boy had a dark, ominous feeling to him, causing all the vermin in the area to flee. It was like he was nothing more but pure darkness.  
  
The boy came to the alley where Matt fought the three Thunder Splats and entered. He looked around for a short time, taking in the alley's feeling. The boy could feel that he prey was here not to long ago, but he could also feel the presence of a two powerful being.  
  
The boy walked to the center of the alley and took out a small pouch from his left jacket. Opening it, he took out a crimson red dust and tossed it into the air. The dust seemed to cover the entire alley and the boy began chanting softly.  
  
"Oh great watcher of time, hear my call and answer my plea. Show to me the answers of this alley that had long since past."  
  
A crimson mist rolled in, covering the alley completely in a thin lair. The mist began taking on shapes and minutes later, the mist turned into ghostly imagines. The boy looked at a young man with strange hair, feeling a huge source of power coming from him. Looking behind him, the boy found three gangsters, looking quit mad, but they were nothing special about them.  
  
The boy watched as the three gangsters began moving on the boy with strange hair, only to have one of them stepped on something, causing a loud shriek to fill the air. Then a blonde cat jumped out of the shadows and began latched onto one of gangsters face and began clawing it.  
  
The boy smiled to himself, as he knew that, that was the prey he was looking for. He watched the rest of the scene play out and was a little impressed with the boy with the strange hair skulls.  
  
The boy was about to call off the vision when a girl with long blonde hair stepped into the alley after her friend had defeated the gangsters. The boy could feel a power hidden deep within this girl, but that was none of his concern now.  
  
With a wave of his left hand, the imagines turned back into mist and vanished into nothingness. The boy looked at the spot where the cat was hiding early, the edges of his lip curling into a smile.  
  
"So, my darling sister, very so," the boy said in an eerie calm voice and began walking away, his hair suddenly standing up and changing into a flame color.  
  
(...)  
  
Rika: Okay if you're think people are that stupid not to know who that guy was, then you give them way to much credit.  
  
Me (Shrugging): Oh well.  
  
Rika: But what's with the hair?  
  
Me (Grinning): You'll just have to wait and seen. 


	6. Fire Burning in The Shadows

Rika: So Mister high and mighty, can I asked what's going on in that empty space you call a head?  
  
Me: So what do you want to ask me?  
  
Rika: Just what are you planning?  
  
Me: Oh, I just going to be showing you the effect that your mother had on my character with twists thrown in here and there.  
  
Rika: So you're going be showing how a cat can change a stone hard person? You know that's the lamest thing I had ever heard.  
  
Me (Grinning slyly): Oh but you forget that Matt isn't a normal teen he got these freaky powers. (Wicker his fingers about)  
  
Rika (Rolling eyes); Right. Now if you don't mind I need something to treat this big headache you're giving me.  
  
Me: And before I forget, if you see sentences surrounded in these [] quotation marks, it mean Rika and Rumiko are talking to each other.  
  
Shadows of the Past:  
Charter six: Fire burning in the shadows.  
  
Early morning at the Urameshi household was the same as always. The due the cover the grounds gave it a light misty feeling and the light of the half moon cast it shine on two blurry figure clashing in the backyard.  
  
"HIIAAHH!" Matt screamed as he threw a fierce uppercut to his opponent's chin. Rena responded to this by jumping into the air and doing a half flip, grabbing Matt's wrist in the process. The disguised fox got behind her friend and grabbed his other arm before he had the chance to react. She thrust her right knee into Matt's back and began pulling on his arm, forcing his back into her knees. The shadow fighter bit his lower lip to hold his cry of pain back. On the porch, two very unique animals watched the fighters, each giving their support in the forms of meows and yips.  
  
"So you're ready to call it quiets for today?" Rena asked calmly.  
  
Despite all the pain in was in, the shadow fighter smiled cockily," You know, fox I think its time for you to learn another of my family age old techniques, the shadow escape."  
  
Matt turned his wrists just right and he was able to grab a hold of Rena's wrists. He then jumped up with all of his might, taking the digimon turned human with him. Matt then relocated himself behind Rena by using the force of the air rushing around them. He repositioned Rena so she was looking at the ground and shoved his knees into her spine.  
  
The two began descended to the ground and the digimon turned human felt a shiver of fear run through her, but at the last moment, Matt freed Rena and jumped away from her. Rena landed on her hands and knees and stayed like that for a few seconds before standing and wiping the sweat from her brow. Matt landed in front of her and flashed his grin that he will pass to his daughter.  
  
"Nice move," Rena said. "Let me guess that move was supposed to allow you to escape while at the same time inflicting pain on your opponent?"  
  
Matt answered her by nodding his head and then getting into his usually fighting stance. Rena remained relax for a minute as she studied the person before her.  
  
The disguised fox had grown into studying the father of her tamer, always on the look for the slightly connection to Rika and Matt. But unknown to Rena, Matt was also studying her, but he was looking for anything suspicious about Rena.  
  
Rena got back into her fighting stance and the two fighters began they usually staring contest. On the porch, Rika and Rumiko watched in anticipation. The future mother and daughter liked watching the two fight it out because for them it seemed just so magical when those two fought.  
  
Rena decided to make the first move before Matt pulled his usual vanishing act. Couching low, Rena kicked off the ground and rushed towards Matt. But like always, the shadow fighter was prepared for anything his blonde haired friend could threw at him.  
  
With swift hands, Matt took of his workout jacket and threw it in Rena's face. The disguised fox yipped in surprised as the black fabric covered her vision. She stopped and removed the jacket from her head, only to found that her opponent had vanished into thin air.  
  
That's the third time this week he pulled a stunt like this, Rena thought a little angrily as she began scanning the area with her eyes and listened to the wind.  
  
The current of the wind suddenly shifted, blowing above Rena and she thrust her hands up just in time to catch a foot that was aimed for her back. She tossed Matt onto his back and leapt at him in the same way a tiger would its prey. Matt quickly thrust his hands and knees up and caught Rena.  
  
"You know if people saw this, they'll talk," Matt said with his dry humor.  
  
Rena flashed her friend a half of a grin and replied," I thought you didn't care what other say about you?"  
  
Matt returned the grin full heartedly and said in a sly tone," I don't." He then threw the disguised fox to his right and Rena landed back on her hand and knees.  
  
The two fighters leapt to their feet and resumed their stances. Rena notice that Matt had taken a different stance then his normal one. His right hand was extended out in front of him and his fingers were slightly bent at the knuckle. His other hand was overleaping his right arm and was balled up into a loose fist. His legs are line up with shoulders and were bent at the knees.  
  
Hmm, never seen that stance before, what is he planning, Rena wondered. She studied the stance for a bit and saw at least three opening for an attack. Strange this stance had fails that even a rookie could see, so what's his game?  
  
Rena studied the stance some more before coming up with a plan of attack. She couched low and shoot off to the right. She circled behind Matt and went in for the kill. Rena throw a punch with all of her strength at Matt's back, but at the last moment Matt spun around and batted Rena's fist away with his right hand. He threw out his fist and Rena barely stopped as she closed her eyes, waiting for the impending pain that was coming. Surprising she felt nothing hitting her face and she squirm opened one eye. Matt's fist had stopped mere inches for the ram of the Fox's nose. Rena looked between the fist and it owner as a nervous sweat broke out on her face.  
  
Matt pulled his fist away Rena's face and smiled at her," So what do you think of one of my family's finishing move, the shadow fist?"  
  
Rena relaxed her tensed body and began rubbing her neck as she said," It was a good move, but I'm wondering how were you able to turn around so fast in the blink of an eye?"  
  
Matt chuckled lightly and began explaining," Well first you must have seen the opening in my stance right?" Rena nodded, singling Matt to go on. "Well the stance was created for the purpose of luring people into a false sense."  
  
"So they'll attack," Rena said thoroughly.  
  
Matt nodded and resumed his speaking," Well when they attack, we're able to move quickly because of the position of our legs allow us to leapt off of our of feet and your know the rest, but of course like half of the techniques in my family style, it useless without prefect timing."  
  
Rena nodded and began thinking about all the techniques she's seen even since she began training with the shadow fighter. All of the techniques she had seen had needed prefect timing and Matt had executed them just right. But she did recall a few times when Matt nearly screwed up a move he was doing.  
  
A mix of happy meows and yips brought the disguised fox out of her thoughts and she and the shadow fighter looked to their right to see Rika and Rumiko racing towards them. They launch themselves into the air and the fighters caught them with ease.  
  
"So what did you think of my fight, wildcat?" Matt softly whispered into Rumiko's ear.  
  
Rumiko responded to this by meowing in a soft tone and then notice the small red blister on his chin that Rena gave Matt in the opener of the sparring match. She leaned up and began licking the blister in a childish adept to clean his face. Matt responded to this by giving the feline a soft, out of character smile and rubbing her just in the right place, causing the cat with unnatural blue eyes to purr in pleasure. Off to the side, Rena and Rika watched as the cold-hearted shadow fighter petting a cat and enjoying it too.  
  
It has been three weeks since Rena, Rika and Rumiko came to live with Matt and his grandmother and the disguised fox notice several changes in the shadow fighter. First his casual mark, which he hides his pain and loneness was slowly slipping away and that anger he keeps buried deepen within, was also fading. The must surprising thing, Rena had witness in these past three weeks was the actual smile Matt was showing and it wasn't those empty casual smile he flashes, but he only showed those real smiles when he holding Rumiko.  
  
"Well I'm taking a shower," Rena said, stretching her back out a little as Rika yawned. "And I'm going to put Rika to bed."  
  
Matt nodded his head constituently and continued to pet Rumiko. Rena shock her head slightly and turn to go into the house. She stopped at the door and looked at the future couple one last time. She couldn't help by smile slightly at the heart-warming scene in front o her. She watched the shadow fighter petting the feline with gentleness for a few seconds before turning around and entering the house.  
  
(...)  
  
Rena slowly made her way up the stair, feeling the effect of her workout with the shadow fighter. In the fox's arms, the cursed tamer was struggling to stay awake long enough to ask her humanoid partner a few questions.  
  
"Renamon, do you like sparring with my dad?" the flame colored fox asked in a tired voice and looking up at her partner with just a hint of childish curiousness gleaming in her eyes.  
  
The disguised fox titled her head down slightly as a light, almost useable blush appeared on her cheeks as she said," Well I didn't have to many opponents that was a match for me back in our time."  
  
What Rena wasn't telling her tamer was that at one point she taught Guilmon some offensive and defensive moves when they first returned to the real world. They two had spar at times in the two years before their tamers were cursed, but in reality they were doing that so they could be together without spilling their guts about how they feel about each other.  
  
"Well I know that my mom was good enough to go head to head with you," Rika said, thinking out loud.  
  
"Well actually there's someone else in our time that can almost match me," Rena muttered to herself, the blush on her cheeks deepen to a darker shade of red.  
  
"Huh, who?" Rika asked curiously.  
  
Once again, our favorite fox turned human had forgotten about her partner's sensitive hearing and that caused her blush to spread to her entire face. Taking one look at her partner's crimson red face, everything became clear to the cursed tamer.  
  
"Oh I see, the dinoboy. Don't worry Renamon you know I wouldn't tell anyone unless you tell someone about my crush on gogglehead," Rika said light heartedly. She then curled up in Rena's arms and drifted into a light sleep before the fox could say a thing.  
  
Rena stopped dead in her track and stare at her partner, feeling relived and confused at the same time. Of course she would never break her word and tell about Rika's crush, just like Rika would never tell about Rena's crush.  
  
Rena continued to stared down at Rika for a few more seconds before sighing and resuming making her way back up the stairs," I don't think I'll ever understand this family even if I saw live to the point where Rika was born."  
  
Rena suddenly stopped dead in her track again as the realization of her own words sunk in. What if she was stuck here for the rest of her "human" life? What if she never gets to see Guilmon again or get to hit Terriermon on the head when he made a fool of himself? What if she never gets Rika home to see Takato even again?  
  
Stop this Renamon, the dismay digimon told herself. If you start thinking like that, then you'll never get to see him again. Besides I need to be strong for Rika.  
  
Pushing all of the negative thoughts and bad feelings aside, Rena ascended to the second floor of the house and headed towards her room to drop Rika off before heading to the showers.  
  
(...)  
  
At Matt and Rena high school, the fighting pair was at their favorite spot on the entire ground, a large tree in front of the school. Rena was sitting on the lowest branch, enjoying the view while Matt set against the base of the tree, rubbing the back of his neck for some reason. He had been doing that for three straight weeks now and a certain someone was starting to get worried.  
  
"Hey, Matt may I ask what's wrong with you?" Rena called softly to her friend.  
  
Matt looked up at Rena without stopping rubbing his neck and said in his casual voice," I think that someone really powerful his close by?"  
  
"Huh?" Rena looked down at her friend, her curiosity peeked.  
  
Matt look up at the sky as he began explaining," Well when I was training with my grandpa, I used to find him by feeling his aura."  
  
Rena jumped from her spot and looked at her friend with confusion," Aura?"  
  
Matt nodded at her and said," Yeah, every human has this aura that surrounds their bodies. Some believe that an aura is made up of the energy of the human sprit and each aura has they unique feeling to them. For my grandpa, it felt like there was a large hole of pure shadow in my gut."  
  
"But what makes you think this feeling you have is dangerous?" the fox asked curiously.  
  
Matt scanned the grounds quickly before leaning in close to his blonde friend. "Well just between you and me, Rumiko is more then she seems."  
  
"What do you mean?" Rena asked with mock curiousness.  
  
"I can see the human soul that lay buried deep down within that feline body, just like I can see the soul hidden in Rika's eyes," surprised by this, Rena could only look at the father of her tamer with her mouth hanging. Matt notice the look on his friend's face and smile lightly to her as he leaned back against and said," Don't worry I wouldn't tell."  
  
Rena closed her mouth and resist the urge to raise an eyebrow as the memory of early crept into the back of her mind. Shocking off the image of her little talk with her partner, she looked at her "cousin" with determined eyes.  
  
"But that still didn't explain to me about my first question, why you think this person is dangerous," the fox said a little demandingly.  
  
Matt sigh, and rose to his feet. He looked to past the gate of the school to where he thought he feel the energy coming from. "Well about a day after Rumiko came, I felt like someone was passing something heat into the base of my neck and little by little that feeling gotten worse."  
  
"But what makes you think this has anything to do with Rumiko?" Rena asked as she got to her feet and looked at the spot Matt was looking at.  
  
"Well this is actually this is more of a gut feeling then anything else," Matt said softly. "But I got this strange feeling that Rumiko is in grave danger and I will protect her no matter what."  
  
"Hmm," Rena looked at her friend, feeling a sense of pride rising deep within her. That quickly faded as Matt's words sunk in. What if there was someone out there, watching her and Matt? Then that's would mean that Rika would be in great danger. But it did bring her some relief knowing that Matt was there by her side.  
  
The morning bell, singling that it was time for homeroom. Students began making their way into the school, but the shadow fighter and his foxy partner remained in exact same spot as before, one worry for once in a long time and the other worried that someone might happened to the one she caves deeply. The two stared off into the horizon for about two minutes before turning and heading into school.  
  
(Close to the school)  
  
The mysterious boy with the wigged hair watched as the proctor of his prey went into his school, his irritation growing. He had watched the boy with weird hair for about three weeks, looking for anything to use against the boy and hasn't come up with anything good enough. He thought about using the boy's grandmother, but after seeing how the boy and his female campaign spar, he decided it wasn't a good idea.  
  
"That boy and his friend are to strong to take head on and my spell would be useless against their combined force," the guy mattered, his irritation clear in his voice.  
  
The boy began pacing around the rooftop where he was spying on the shadow fighter and his friend, trying to think up a plan of action. After five minutes of pacing, the boy gave up with a frustrated sigh and slammed his fist into the ground, sending a wave of fire across the roof. The fire left a path of melted stone.  
  
"Wait, that's it," the boy muttered to himself as he remembered that the shadow fighter had this craving for fighting. "Yes I can lure this boy into a fight and then trap him within one of my barriers, then I can easily take that girl and my darling sister will be all my."  
  
The boy straightened up and looked at the school. A half grin forming on his face as fire erupted in his hands. He lifted his hands over his head and intertwined them, merging the two balls of flames into one. He threw his hands down and began drawing something in the roof with the fire. Once he was done with is task, the boy smiled down in pride at the KM letters, he had written with his mysterious powers of fire before leaving.  
  
(Sango's house)  
  
Rika and Rumiko watched as the elder made some of her family remedy while humming to herself. The elder took this strange yellow and white plant with panels that looked like flower themselves. Sango took off four panels and threw them into an old gray gale bowl. The two small animals stared at the plant like it was a man-eating versus flytrap and the elder notice this.  
  
"Would you two like to know about this plant?" she asked softly. The flame colored fox and blonde cat nodded in unison and the level of intelligence they displayed once again took the elder by surprise. "Well this is a rare flower that was never identified, but it panels can produce this incredible sap with amazing results."  
  
"Meow?" Rumiko asked.  
  
"You're probably wondering what kind of results this plant can generate, right?" Sango asked softly.  
  
The blonde cat nodded, singling yes.  
  
"Well this plant can be used in different ways," the elder replied, brushing her fingers along the ram of one of the panels. "Like how I use it to created my family's remedy by mixing other plants that is used for natural healing. But I do believe it can be used in different fashion, but I never really tried."  
  
Curious Rika jumped over to where the plant was and took in a whiff of it. For some reason the cursed tamer felt like she smelled this plant before, but couldn't remember where.  
  
"Meow?" Rumiko asked. [What are you doing?]  
  
"Yip," Rika said. [Just taking in a whiff of this plant.]  
  
"Meow?" Rumiko asked confused [Why?]  
  
Yip," Rika said, getting a little edgy. [Just because I felt like it, okay.]  
  
"Meow," Rumiko squeaked. [Sorry.]  
  
Rika watched as her future mother's feline face dropped and remembered that this wasn't the stubborn woman she argue with so much, but a small defenseless kid who was going through a tough time.  
  
Sighing at herself, Rika walked over to her future mother and began nuzzling her neck in a friendly way. She yipped her apologizes and Rumiko immediately accepted them.  
  
"Yip?" Rika asked eagerly. [Say what to play.]  
  
"Meow!" Rumiko turned around and tipped Rika's nose with her tail [Sure and your it!]  
  
Rumiko jumped off the table and run around of the kitchen. Rika smiled to herself as she jumped from table and gave chase.  
  
(Later...after school)  
  
"Hmm," Matt looked down at the two letters burned into the roof of building across from his school. He got down on his right knee and traced the K with his pinker. He could feel the remains of a great power here. "Why did I have this sinking feeling that this is trouble? What do you think, Rena?"  
  
Half way during school, Matt had felt this strange source in power and once school was over, his foxy partner and himself want to check out Matt's feeling.  
  
The disguised fox was examining the other burn on the roof when Matt called to her. "Huh?" Rena looked up at her friend and blinked. "What did you say, Matt?"  
  
The shadow fighter walked over to his friend and asked seriously," I was just wondering what you think about all of this?"  
  
Rena got up and brush her skirt off before looking at Matt with serious eyes," Well nothing good, so what does your gut say on this?"  
  
"Nothing good, that much I know," Matt said seriously, his eyes darting between the two melted areas.  
  
"But what I can't seem to figure out is these letters," Rena said wonderingly as she walked up to the letter and looking at them thoughtfully.  
  
"Again, nothing good," Matt said as he joined his friend.  
  
Rena stared at the letter, feeling like she was missing something. She titled her head to the right as she tried to figure out what those letters meant. But one name came to mind and she knew it couldn't be him.  
  
"Kai Makino," the fox mutter under her breath as she shock her head.  
  
Kai Makino was the reason behind most of her recent frustration. He was the man who cursed her tamer and Guilmon's as well and he was probably who sent Rena and Rika through time, but to what purpose that salved, she still couldn't figure out.  
  
"Who's Kai Makino?" Matt asked off handedly, startling the disguised digimon out of her thoughts.  
  
"Huh?" Rena looked at Matt, confusingly.  
  
"Who's this Kai Makino?" Matt asked casually.  
  
"Oh, just someone I meat during my travels," Rena answered in a calm voice.  
  
"If you say so," Matt said with a shrug of his shoulder, but Rena didn't miss the suspicious look he gave her. "Well lets get going before gram starts to worry and think I'm get into a fight over a squirrel."  
  
Rena nodded and the fighting pair over to one of the ledges over the building. The two shoot a look over to the other building across from the building they were on and proceed to reach the ground by jumping from building to building. The pair lifted the alleyway and went in the direction of Sango's house.  
  
"Hmm," Matt looked behind his shoulder just in time to see a shadow ducked behind a trashcan. The pair walked up to another alley and he pulled Rena in with him.  
  
"Hey what's the big-?"  
  
"Shh," Matt silenced his "cousin" by placing the tips of his fingers on her mouth. "We're being followed."  
  
"Huh?" curious Rena looked at the man who was going to be the father of her tamer and watched him.  
  
Matt peeked over the edge of the alley and watched. In a few seconds the figure that was following the pair can into reach and Matt grabbed him with the same swiftness as a lion jumps its prey. He pinned the stalker to the wall opposite of the wall he was against and got a good look of the man.  
  
"Oh it just you Shimon," Matt said casually and let go of the man.  
  
Ramma Shimon was a boy about the same height as Matt though he was about a year and half older then the shadow fighter, but he was much more bulkier then Matt. He kept his black hair with white died tips in a Mohawk that reached down to the bridge of his nose. Ramma's the legal bully and touch guy, he has won even fights he's been in except when it came to Matt and really boils the guy knowing that's there's a person tougher then he is and with half of his muscles too.  
  
"What do you want now, Shimon?" Matt asked lazily.  
  
Ramma fixed his jacket collar as he glared angrily at the boy before him. "You know what I want Smith and I want it now," he spoke in a challenging tone of voice.  
  
Matt answered Shimon's challenge with a light shrug of his shoulders and said in his casual voice," Listen Shimon, I really don't want to get into a one sided fight today."  
  
"One sided!" Shimon screamed and then grinned as he flexed his arm muscles. "If you haven't notice I bulked up more since our last fight a year ago."  
  
Matt looked at the muscles ripping through Shimon's uniform jacket lazily and looked at him," You know my grandfather said once that power without guidance is doomed to be eating a life time of dirt pies." Matt grinned as he watched Shimon's face turn a bright red from anger.  
  
"Why you..." Shimon lunged at the fighting pair.  
  
In the blink of an eye, Matt grabbed Rena and pulled his shadow walking technique just as Shimon reached them. The bully slammed head first into the building's wall, knocking him senseless.  
  
Matt reappeared at the mouth of the alley seemingly unnoticed by the bystanders and looked into the alley. He shook his head when he saw Shimon lying on his back with a dazed look on his face.  
  
"Some people never will learn," he muttered and then walked away without another word.  
  
"Hmm," Rena looked at the senseless boy in the alley and then at her "cousin" with a raised eyebrow. "He's becoming more like his daughter each day." She then hurried to catch up with the shadow fighter.  
  
(The next day...early morning)  
  
Matt was doing his normal morning stretching routine, while the three R watched from the porch. Rika watched her father thoroughly, taking in ever move and technique he did. Rena waited patiently for the time when she'll began their usually sparring match with Rika on her lap. Rumiko on the other hand was completely intertwined with Matt's routine. To the blonde feline with the unnatural blue eyes it was like Matt was dancing instead of practicing his martial arts moves. Like he was an angel dancing on a cloud. Rumiko could watch the boy with the strange colored hair for hours.  
  
Matt was in the middle of his finishing stretch when he felt that searing heat returned to the back of his neck, causing him to stop in mid throw of his black lightening strike. He dropped his stance and began looking over the yard, which warned the other warrior on the ground.  
  
"Something wrong?" Rena called from the porch, hiding her concern at her friend's behavior.  
  
"That feeling back with a vengeance," Matt said with a tight voice.  
  
"Hmm," Rena looked between the fox and the cat before sitting Rika down on the porch and joining Matt. The two fighters got against each other's backs and took up their fighting stances. "So can you tell where you feeling is coming from?"  
  
"Normally I would, but this one is different," Matt answered, a hint of doubt working its way into his voice.  
  
"What do you mean?" Rena asked.  
  
"Well this feeling hangs in a certain place and when I think I locked onto it, it jump to someplace new," Matt answered, more of his doubt appearing in his voice.  
  
That can't be anything good, Rena thought grimly, but said reassuringly," Don't worry Matt, I'm sure you'll find it out."  
  
"Maybe, but I sure wish- gaaaahhh!" Matt felt an invisible hand griping around his throat, cutting off his sentence and lifting the shadow fighter in the air.  
  
"Matt!" Rena was about to help the father of her tamer when she felt that same power that held Matt in the air gripped her and threw him back onto the porch, hard.  
  
"This doesn't concern you, Blondie," an icy smooth voice rung out from nowhere.  
  
Rena recognized that voice no matter what time she was in and immediately bolted into a sitting position. She was just in time to see a figure taller then Matt appeared before the elevated figure with his right hand even with the shadow fighter. Focusing all of her sight onto the figure, Rena barely made out the face of a younger Kai Makino, grinning evilly at Matt.  
  
"So sorry, but I wanted to get your attention before you began you're usual morning rumble," Kai said in a cruel sarcastic voice and let go of his hold.  
  
Matt fell to the ground and got up onto his knees and hands as flesh air made it way into his lungs, causing him to chock slightly. Kai waited for Matt to regain his composure before walking up to him.  
  
"Who are you?" Matt asked, getting to his feet and eyeing the blonde boy suspiciously.  
  
"Kai," Kai answered simply. "And that's all you need to know."  
  
"And why is that?" Matt asked calmly, his bodying tensing.  
  
"Because you're be dead soon," Kai said in a low, dark tone.  
  
Matt raised an eyebrow to this and replied a bit sarcastically," And how are you going to do that?"  
  
"You'll have to fight me to find that out," Kai said simply, a mischievous smile growing on his face. "Or are you going to walk away like with that bully?"  
  
"How do you know that?" Matt asked, a hint of suspicion rising in his voice.  
  
"Doesn't it really matter?" Kai said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Now are we going to fight or talk?"  
  
"Hmm," Matt looked over at his friends with his eyes and saw them eagerly waiting for his decision. Matt turned his eyes forward and closed them for second to think. He reopened them and looked at Kai with that hidden victory glee back in his violet orbs. "Okay Mister Mysterious you're on."  
  
Matt wasted no time, he immediately charged at Kai and threw a spin kick at the boy. Kai used some of his own special powers to lift himself off the ground and into the air, avoiding Matt's attack completely. Matt held his surprise at bay as he looked up at the boy suspended in the air.  
  
"Oh did I forget to manage that I'm a sorcerer?" Kai asked in a smooth, sarcastic filled voice.  
  
"Yeah you lift that little detail out," Matt muttered to himself and crouched low. The shadow fighter jumped up with such speed and grace that he seemed to vanish from view. Kai began looking around for any sighs of his prey, but he couldn't find hid or hair of him. "Up here!!!"  
  
Kai snapped his head up and saw Matt's foot coming straight for his head. The evil sorcerer smiled to himself and waved his hands in a circle patterns. An invisible barrier surround Kai and Matt's foot slammed right into it. Matt was repealed away and threw across lawn. Matt turned around just in time and landed in his hands and knees. He got up and turned to look at Kai with a fire burning in his eyes.  
  
"What do you think of my barrier?" Kai asked casually. "It's one of the strongest in the world."  
  
"Strongest huh? Will let put it to the test. Hiiaahh!!' Matt lunged at Kai and threw his tattoo fist into Kai's barrier.  
  
"What do you think you can break my barrier so easily?" Kai asked in amusement.  
  
"We'll see, we'll see," Matt said simply.  
  
Matt put all of his strength into it and the barrier actually began bending. Kai's amusement turned to shock as his barrier began folding in on itself.  
  
"How is this impossible?" Kai screamed. "This is the strongest barrier in the world!!!"  
  
"Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to ITTTTTTT!!" Matt screamed as he reeled by his free fist and threw it.  
  
The fist broke through Kai's magical barrier and meant with Kai's cheek. The evil sorcerer fell to the ground, his eye wild in shock.  
  
How? How can someone like that punk break through my barrier, the evil sorcerer wondered to himself.  
  
At the same time, Matt was wondering the same question himself. He was looking wide eye at his hand, which felt a little numb from all of pressure it was put on. He relaxed his body and drew hand in, looking at his palm.  
  
How did I do that? Matt asked himself. If I remember my grandfather's lessons right, only a greater magical force can break another magical force. So how did I do it?  
  
A growling noise from Kai reminded Matt that he was still in a fight and other things need to be put aside until the fight with over. Matt resumed his fighting stance as Kai got to his feet, his back to the shadow fighter. For a few heart-racing moments, Kai kept his back to Matt, his shoulder raising and lowing slightly as he breathed in short, hash breathes. He looked at Matt and there was fire literally burning in his eyes.  
  
"You really pissed me off now," Kai, said angrily his body shocking from anger.  
  
"How man what's with the eyes?" Matt asked calmly, but eyeing the fire in his opponent's eyes nervously.  
  
"You'll see soon enough," Kai answered roughly.  
  
The evil sorcerer began groaning to himself and the area around him heating up greatly. The area around Kai began expending and reached Matt in no time, throwing unbearable heat in his face. The heat even reached the porch, causing the two furred animals to begin panting in an attempt to cool themselves down. Rena was sweating like a pig, but she really didn't notice because all of her attention was focus on Kai.  
  
What's going on, Rena wondered to herself. The Kai in my time never did anything like this. It so hot here, I think I can actually cook twelve eggs on this porch and it getting hotter here. The disguised digimon removed her jacket, hopping it would cool her off a bit.  
  
Matt had also taken off his training jacket, but it so hot that he felt like he was going to pass out from heat exhaustion any minute now.  
  
This is just plain crazy, Matt thought. It must over hundred and getting warmer. Now what?  
  
The shadow fighter noticed that Kai's short hair was standing on its end and it was flickering from it natural blonde color to a color matching Rika's fur. After a moment, the evil sorcerer's hair settled on the color of fire and he grinned evilly.  
  
"You're probably wondering what's with my hair now, right?" Kai asked in his smooth, icy voice.  
  
Matt resisted the urge to wipe his brow off as he said as lightly as he could," The thought had cross my mind once or twice."  
  
"Well it's actually quit simple, I'm an elemental sorcerer," Kai said proudly.  
  
"An elemental sorcerer," Matt whispered to himself.  
  
"Do you want to know more?" Kai asked in his sickly icy smooth voice.  
  
"Thanks, but I know all about them," Matt answered calmly.  
  
Kai threw a grin at Matt and said," Oh, but I'm a special kind of elemental sorcerer. I can use any types of spells I want, but I still like to use my power of fire to blush others in."  
  
Kai held out his arms at his sides and curled his fingers slightly. Small flickers of fire emitted in the centers of his palms and begin expending until it filled his hands. Seeing those flares caused Matt to become frozen in place. Kai throw his hands down, sending the fire into the ground and causing it to streak across the ground. The line of fire divided into two lines and circled around the shadow fighter. The fire shot up, creating a wall of flames that Matt could have easily gotten out of if an old childhood fear hasn't spring back to life.  
  
Matt stared around the fire, a rare look of fear appearing on his face as memories danced across his eyes. His breathing began rough and shallow. He could hear the sound of screeching of tires, causing him to cover his ears.  
  
Outside the fire, Kai watch in puzzlement as the person who he thought was unbeatable began cowering at the mere sight of the flames. A victorious grin suddenly appeared on his face.  
  
"So it would seem you aren't made out stone like I first thought," with his grin turning into an evil smile; Kai lifted his right hand up. The flames rose with his hand and then closed up, creating a dome of pure fire.  
  
The evil sorcerer waited for about a minute and a half before commanding the flame to part in certain area and creating a birdcage of fire. By that time, Matt had completely lost it and was now curled up into a ball on the ground. The rock hard shadow fighter had begun lost in the most painful memory of his young life, the day his parents' die in a flaming car accident.  
  
Rena, Rika and Rumiko watched in shock and fear as the person they believe to be unbreakable looking like a child who just got wondering away from his parents and gotten lost in a big store. But for the fox turned human it was something completely different.  
  
As Rena watch her friend cowering in the cage of flames, his figure along with that of the cage was replaced with images of IceDevimon holding a frightened Rika. Rena just kept seeing the eyes of her tamer and her father locked in fear and without even knowing it, began walking forward.  
  
Kai caught sight of the movement from the corner of his right eye and frown slightly. The sorcerer threw some of his magic Rena's way and lifting the girl off her feet.  
  
"Now what do you think you could have done to me when even your so called cousin couldn't even beat me?" Kai asked in his sickly smooth sarcastic voice as he slowly walked up to the elevated digimon turned human.  
  
Rena responded to the man in front by growling dangerously. Kai responded to this by flicking the sides of his lips slightly and outstretching his right arm. He even out his hand with Rena's throat and began squeezing. Rena let out aloud gasp as she felt something tightened around her throat, cutting off her air.  
  
Kai chuckled and said," Well Blondie now you see how pointless it is to fight someone as great as me. So why don't you take a seat and watch."  
  
Kai sent Rena flying backwards with him magic. The disguised fox the wall right of the porch hard, and fell to the ground with piece of broken wood tailing her.  
  
Guilmon I wish you were here by my side, was the last thought Rena had before slipping into an unconscious state.  
  
Satisfied with his work, Kai turned his attention to the reason why he was here in the first place. He smiled evilly as he saw a certain blonde furred cat with unusual blue eyes shaking in fear and began walking towards her. Every step Kai took caused Rumiko's fur to stand up more. In a matter of seconds Kai was looking down at her with an evil grin. Rumiko stiffly looked up at the face of the evil sorcerer with a fear uncommon for cat's eyes.  
  
Kai reached down to picked up the scared feline when a flame colored blur came out of nowhere and Rika bit down on Kai's middle finger with all of her might. Kai's eyes widened slightly, more in annoyance then pain and looked down at the strangely colored fox.  
  
"You think this hurts me you annoying little pest, think again," Kai grabbed Rika with his free hand and sent some of his magic into her, causing the cursed tamer to fall asleep. Tossing Rika aside, Kai looked back at Rumiko and picked her up by the neck.  
  
"Well my darling little sister our little game of cat and mouse finally end and what you're the mouse," Kai said in a sarcastic voice.  
  
Rumiko began meowing and struggling to get free of Kai's grip, but the evil sorcerer just tightened his grip and chuckle.  
  
"You can do whatever, darling sister, but the only ones how can help you are either scared out of his mind or taking a nice catnap on the grass," Kai said in a dry joking tone.  
  
Rumiko don't her struggling and her moaning in catcall, hopping that it would at least annoy Kai somewhat. But it did the expert opposite, it made Kai grin evilly. Rumiko knew right then and there that she was going to die, but she didn't give up her crying. She would get in her last words even if no one is around who could understand her.  
  
In the cage of fire, Matt was reliving that fateful day when his parents were taken from him. He could see it as clearly as if he was watching a movie in a theater.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Matt and his parents were driving home after watching the latest kid's movie. His father was driving a nice, green Ford car and Matt being the young five old he was, was going against his parents' orders and not in his seat. The young boy was reacting senses from the movie he just saw, making his parents laugh slightly. In front of the happy family's car was a cargo truck with a large trailer in back. Because of the driver being so exhausted from a long day's work, he didn't close the trailer's door properly and it was in danger of flying open at any time.  
  
On the road the two vehicles were traveling on long was a very small pit hole that was useable at the die of night and the truck rode over it. The trailer jerked a little causing the lose door to fly open and a large empty, wooden box to slid dangerous close to opening. The driver of the truck nearly missed his exiting because he was zoning out, made a sharp right and caused the box in his back to fly off of the trailer.  
  
The box slammed onto the road and shattered into different good size pieces. A small chuck of wood slammed right into the windshield of the Smith's family car. The piece of wood wasn't big enough or did it hit the window with enough force to break through it, but it did leave a large cracked right in the center of the windshield, making it hard for the driver to see.  
  
Mister Smith was a talented driver, but even with his many years of driving experience this was still hard. Plus having his wife and son screaming in his ear at the tops of their lungs didn't help matter either.  
  
Mister Smith see a piece of wood and immediately swirl to avoid it and him that another piece of wood was right in his way and this one has nails in it too. Having no time to maneuver around it, Mister Smith slammed on the break and began turning right.  
  
It would seem luck was with the young Matthew Smith at the time because he was slammed against left door of the passenger side of the car. The door flew open suddenly as if a unseen hand had opened it and Matt was ejected from the car just as it began trampling on it sides.  
  
Despite all the pain the young five year old was in, he looked up and watched as the vehicle with his family in it rolled three times before stopping on its roof. Squinting his little violet colored eyes, Matt could make out figures moving about in the car through the back window. A big childish smile appeared on the boy face and he began to get up, only to fall onto his hand and knees from all the pain that rushed through his body.  
  
Matt had never experienced pain before so it was taking everything that young boy had to keep himself from passing out. He began slowly crawling to his parents' car when suddenly it exploded into flames. Matt heard the screams of his parents as he watch them slowly burn to death.  
  
Mamma? Papa?" The glow of the flames cast shadows of the young boy's face as hot tears ran down his face onto the road. He reached out with his right hand, his young mind refused to believe that his parents were gone and that they would appear beside him any minute now, smiling down at him in a loving way and that his mother would take him in her arms any time now.  
  
But as the boy stared at the flames, the screams of his parents dieing down, he felt his outstretched hand began to burn. Tarring his eyes away from the blazing inferno and to his hand, he watched as a black light began carving something on the back of his hand. In a moment of seconds a lightening bolt shaped had carved itself in and colored itself black.  
  
Matt looked at the tattoo with a sick realization that a boy his age shouldn't have. He knew that if the tattoo had appeared on his hand that he was the new shadow fighter and that both of his parents were gone, never to return to him or hold him in their arms ever again.  
  
"Mamma. Papa." The boy whispered solemnly as he curled up into a ball and cried. The boy cried for a good while until he cried himself to sleep filled with dream of his parents and himself playing together.  
  
(End of flashback)  
  
"Mamma. Papa," Matt repeated what his young self said in his flashback. He was also in the same position that he was in nine long years ago with tear running down his face. For the first times in years the shadow fighter was pooling all of the negative emotions that had build in him for nine long years. MAAAMMMAAAA!!! PAAAPPPAAA!!!"  
  
Suddenly a feline cry of help somehow made it to the emotional tore boy and he knew immediately who it was.  
  
Rumiko, Matt thought solemnly. Looks like I fail you too.  
  
For some reason thinking about Rumiko struggling the grasp of that madman just made the feeling in his stomach grow even worse. He knew that he couldn't save the one being in this world that actually meant someone to him and that made him worse, which in turn caused his tears to run faster.  
  
"I can't do anything right," Matt mutter solemnly through with his sobs.  
  
The wind in the cage suddenly went through a change and if Matt wasn't so caught up in his grief, he would felt another being in the cage with him.  
  
"Will you just give up?" An elderly, yet stern voice said in the shadow fighter's eyes. "Because that's not the Matthew Smith I now."  
  
"Will you just leave me along old man," Matt whispered solemnly. "I'm not in the mood for one of your lecture today."  
  
"You can't give up because you're a shadow fighter and a shadow fighter never gives up, the elder said, his voice taking on a level of commanded.  
  
"Listen can't you just leave me along to sulk in peace?" Matt asked, his voice rising in anger.  
  
"You're a shadow fighter and that's comes with great responsible," The elder said commandingly.  
  
Matt always hated that voice. To him, it sounded like being a shadow fighter was the only thing that really mattered in the world and that always-boiled Matt over and it still does to this ever day.  
  
Matt bolted to his feet and spun around to face his grandfather, Souta Urameshi, angrily. "Listen here you windbag of a ghost I never wanted any of this. The strength, the powers I never want any of it, you got it?" the anger in the boy's voice was strong and yet the ghost in front of him didn't even flick one bit.  
  
"You're a shadow fighter, so deal with it," Souta's voice began slightly harder then before and his glare became piercing.  
  
When Matt was young that tone and glare would have scared him witless, but that was in the past. Now he's a man who couldn't be broken, or close to it and no one and not even some ghost who couldn't even touch him, would scare him.  
  
"Listen good from once you old fart," Matt said angrily. "I never liked fighting in the first place. You drilled that into my head when I was just a boy and now I can't stop fighting even if I wanted to and it's all your fault."  
  
Souta watched as his grandson clinched his fists up tightly and tears began falling from his face, but this time there were tears of betrayal instead of sadness and bitterness.  
  
"Then if you wouldn't fight of yourself, fight for them." An image of Rena lying face down appeared and descended into the darkness. Next an image of Rika appeared, sleeping thanks to Kai's spell. That also disappeared into the darkness. Next an image of Matt's grandmother, sleeping peacefully in her own bed appeared and disappeared into the darkness moments latter. Finally an image of Rumiko, struggling in Kai's hand appeared, but unlike the last ones, this stayed in front of Matt, like it was mocking him. The image faded like the rest in a few second and Matt's grandfather reappeared. "If you wouldn't fight yourself then fight for the ones who you cared about the most."  
  
With that said, the ghost of Souta Urameshi turned his back on his grandson and faded away as he walked away.  
  
"If you wouldn't fight for yourself then fight for the once who cared about the most." Matt echoed the words of his grandfather as he thought about it. He looked beyond his cage of fire at the blonde feline, struggling in the hands of a madman and Kai seemed to be enjoying every minute of it. "Fight for the ones you care for."  
  
Matt got in the center of his cage and looked towards the ceiling. He focused his every being on helping the ones he cared deeply for and the tattoo feed off of those desires. The tattoo began glowing like never before and Matt felt a new power, the like which he never felt before, begin pulping into his veins.  
  
Hang on guys I'm coming, Matt thought determinedly and crouched down.  
  
(...)  
  
Kai chuckled as he continued to watch his sister's pathetic adepts of getting free. "You may as well just gave up, darling sister, you'll never break free." But blonde feline refused to give up.  
  
Rumiko suddenly stopped her struggling and looked over Kai's shoulder. Kai frown in disappointment when he notice his sister stop struggling, but was more curious as to what she was looking at. The evil sorcerer turned around and was amazed when he saw the inside of his cage of fire, glowing a deep black color.  
  
"What's going on?" Kai wondered to himself.  
  
Suddenly a figure jumped out of the cage of fire, causing it to collapsed in on itself and despite. Kai watched in amazement as the black light soared higher then anything then Kai himself as even witness and stay there for a minute or so. The light then dropped from the sky and went straight from Kai.  
  
"KAI!!" The energy dissolved, reliving none other then Matthew smith.  
  
The evil sorcerer was to stun to move as Matt up righted himself and delivered a devastating spun kick to Kai. Luckily the evil sorcerer was able to bring himself out of his shock and placed a small barrier in front of him, Matt was still able to shatter the barrier and his leg meant with Kai's face. The evil sorcerer lost his hold on the cat and was sent flying into the yard.  
  
Matt caught Rumiko was such grace; it was like the unnatural eyed feline was suspended in mid-air. Matt dropped to his knees and hugged Rumiko tightly. Rumiko was startled by anything that had happening was finally starting to recover. Looking up at the boy holding her, Rumiko notice he had the most gently smile she even seen on a person.  
  
"You okay, wildcat?" Matt whispered softly in Rumiko's ear.  
  
Rumiko nodded her head slyly and let out an embarrassed meow. Matt smiled grew more softer and he began rubbing Rumiko's back to help her relax. The rubbing began working and Rumiko snuggled into Matt's arm. The two just wanted to stay like this for the rest of their lives, but sadly moments like this never last when you're a shadow fighter.  
  
The two heard a slight moaning sound with their acute hearing, coming from the lawn. Turning their attention to the front, they saw Kai slowly working his way to his feet.  
  
"You'll have to do more then that to make me fall," Kai said coldly as got into a lazy position.  
  
Matt stared at the man who had caused him nothing by misery with stern eyes. He set Rumiko down and patted her on the head reassuringly. He stood up and walked out onto the lawn.  
  
"I'm tried of fighting, so would you just go back from whatever you came from and just leave me along," Matt said in a tired voice.  
  
"Well that's tough, I'm not leaving until my sister's body is lying in a pool of her own blood!" Kai said angrily and took out a spell scroll. "Oh father of the sky hear my plea and sent to me your holy weapons of judgment!!"  
  
The symbol for lightening drew themselves onto the paper and they became alive with lightening. Bolts of lightening begin tarring up the ground as Matt began darting left and right to keep the bolt from hitting the house.  
  
"NOW IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO FRY!!!" Kai aimed his talisman at Matt and all the lightening conjoined into one big bolt of lightening, heading straight for Matt.  
  
Time seemed to slow as the lightening bolt went straight for Matt. He knew he couldn't dodge something like this, so he did the only thing that came to his mind at the moment and that just happened to be his black lightening strike. But he knew he couldn't use it unless he was perfectly calm.  
  
"Fight for them, use that as power," his grandfather voice said in the wind.  
  
Matt looked over his shoulder and notice Rumiko was starting to tremble with fear. He looked quickly at his other friends and felt a desire to protect them. The tattoo responded to this emotion by sending black lightening sourcing all over Matt's body.  
  
For my friends, Matt thought determinedly as he got into position. All of the black lightening sourcing around Matt was gathered into his right hand as he pulled his hand forward. "BLACK LIGHTENING STRIKE!!!" With a boom like thunder, Matt unleashed the biggest bolt of black lightening he had very done in his life.  
  
The two bolts of lightening sourced through the air, lighting up the night like a charismas tree. The two bolts clashed, in which, the evil sorcerer's lightening was cut right through and the black bolt went for the sorcerer himself.  
  
"GGGRRRUUUHHHH!!" Kai was thrown off of his feet as the bolt struck him in the center of his chest, his eyes widen with surprise.  
  
Kai flew through the air and came crushing down five feet from his original spot. The evil sorcerer tried to get to his feet, but found it felt like he was trying to lift a thousands pones with his bares arms. It was just a chore to twitch a single finger.  
  
"What...power," Kai managed to chock out.  
  
Matt gasped as his eyes turned to the glowing object on the back of his hand. He had never fired such a big blast black of lightening in his life and it was a little overwhelming to witness such an act.  
  
Now that's was truly cool, Matt thought amazingly.  
  
The light from the tattoo faded in mere moments and the lightening bolt tattoo now looked like it was incurved on Matt's hand instead of just painted on. His tattoo now looked like the one his mother's had before.  
  
"You think you win?" Kai chocked out.  
  
Matt looked from his tattoo to the boy lying on his lawn and said calmly," Well if you haven't notice you're in a spot there."  
  
The evil sorcerer suddenly began laughing insanely, throwing the shadow fighter off of his guard. Matt was about to ask him what's was so funny when he suddenly grabbed one of his spell scrolls and held it high in the air.  
  
"Oh guardian of the sky, help my plea and send to me a blanket of clouds!!!" The symbol for clouds became visible on the talisman and air began rushing out of it and under Kai. A cloud was created under the immobile sorcerer and lifted him off the ground. The cloud flew away before Matt could even make a move.  
  
"Don't see that every day," Matt said to himself in his usual casual voice and stuck his hands in his pocket.  
  
He grabbed his jacket and went over to Rena. After checking and finding no major injuries, Matt set Rena in a comfortable sleeping position with his jacket as a pillow. He then went over to Rika and repeated a similar process like he did with Rena. Finally the man returned to the spot where Rumiko were now sleeping and gently took her in his lap.  
  
"Man what a day and it isn't even noon yet," He said in a tired voice while a few yawns escaped him. "Think...I'll...take...a...quick nip."  
  
And with that, the young warrior's hand fall and his eyes closed. He fell into a light sleep and dream about meeting this lovely girl with the same hair and eyes as Rumiko.  
  
(...)  
  
BlackRenamon (Crying on my shoulder): That's was the most heart breaking thing I have ever read.  
  
Me (annoyed): Well actually it's the only thing you read and personal I didn't think it was some of my better work.  
  
Rika: That's an understatement.  
  
Me: who ask you?  
  
Rika: No one.  
  
Me: Why me? 


	7. Reveling in The Shadows

Rika: All right you; I have another thing I want to talk to you about.  
  
Me (Sighing): Well oh great queen what is it this time?  
  
Rika: I want to know what's the deal with those ghosts?  
  
Me: What do you want to know about them.  
  
Rika (Angry): You know what I mean.  
  
Me (Lazily): I have truly have no clue as to what you mean.  
  
Rika (Grabbing me by the shirt collar): I WANT TO KNOW WHY THOSE GHOST HANG AROUND YOUR STUPID CHACARTER AND MYSELF!! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAN NOW?  
  
Me (Wiping the spit from my face): Say it doesn't spire it, Rika.  
  
Rika: Listen, you got two seconds to tell me before I bash that empty space you call a head.  
  
Me: All right, all right. Let me go and I'll tell you.  
  
Rika (Gripping my shirt tighter): Oh no you don't, you're going to tell me now and you're not getting away.  
  
Me (Throwing her an irritated look): If you must now, the ghost of a former shadow fighter stays with the current shadow fighter until they're earned the title of shadow fighter.  
  
Rika: What does that mean?  
  
Me: You're just have to wait to find out.  
  
Shadows of the Past:  
Chapter seven: Reveling in The Shadows  
  
In the heart of East Shinjuku, a lone figure is making his way slowly across an alley. Kai was still feeling the effect of Matt's black lightening strike and needed to use a long wooden pole as a crutch to get around. The evil sorcerer was in a rout as he tried to figure out the power of the black lightening strike.  
  
"Stupid punk. Ahh!" Kai don't know he had gotten his crutch caught between a large creak in the grumble and when he walked to far ahead, he tripped himself up. "This is stupid! What kind of spell did that punk use on me?"  
  
Kai, being an elemental sorcerer knew basically all the spell that were around the world, but the power the Smith boy used against him was a mystery and it angry him to no ends. His body ached because he had to work ever hard to just get it to do what he wanted and he was tried from the entire spell casting it he did that night, too.  
  
Kai slowly worked his way back to his feet and needed to pull with all of his remaining strength just to get his crutch free. After making sure the pole was still good enough to use, Kai resumed his aimless journey.  
  
The evil sorcerer wondered around the back streets of the city for what seemed like hours, when it really was only was close to an hour. During that time, the effect of the black lightening strike had worn off more and now he could walked in nice clear steps and without that pole either. Kai had also spent this time to try and figure out the power Smith used against him, but still the answer escaped the sorcerer.  
  
The entire time Kai was wondering, that same scene from early kept replaying in his head. He kept seeing his magical powered lightening being sliced in half by a bolt of discolored lightening. The evil sorcerer felt the spot where the strike hit him and it still felt a little numb.  
  
Finally, Kai's anger and frustration reached it peek and he let it all out in one big angry roar as he slammed his fist into the closest thing to him, which just happened to be wall. The wall suddenly erupted in flames as Kai's hair once again stood up and turned color, matching the flames he was emitting. For a belief moment, Kai was tempted to burn down the entire building, but as he anger subsided slightly, he realized that would draw unwanted attention he didn't need at the moment. So with a wave of his hand, the fire immediately died down, leaving only a slightly darkened wall.  
  
Kai calmed down the best he could, but the fact that his hair stay in it flame state was a good sigh that his anger was still burning greatly. The evil sorcerer once again resumed his pointless journey. He wondered around for another hour before he finally came to an up all night diner. He was about to walk passed it when his stomach let out a monstrous roar of hunger. Sighing, Kai gave into his hunger and went into the diner.  
  
The diner was one of those 50 styles types from over sea. Booths were besides windows and there's a bar around the center of the diner. Kai looked at the jab box to his right with disgust and used a silent spell to short out the music device. He always hate place like these because of the low life that hang around here makes him feel dirty. He was just to good for places like these.  
  
Kai walked up to the bar and took a set. A woman in a mid 30 with short black hair came up to the evil sorcerer seconds later.  
  
"What can I get for you hen?" She asked.  
  
"Got any rice balls?" Kai grumbled.  
  
"The best rice ball around," the waitress said, boosting slightly.  
  
"Then give me your biggest plate of rice balls and make sure it's heavy on the sauce," Kai grumbled.  
  
"Sure thing hen," The waitress wrote down Kai's order and went into the back.  
  
As the evil sorcerer waited for his balls, he turned around and leaned on the counter so he could look out the window. It still angered him to great length that some punk with weird hair beat him so easily, but at least he had calmed down enough that his hair was back to it normal color.  
  
"You know, I kinda disappointed that, that stupid punk with the massed up hair haven't seen his face in our tuff for the last three weeks, I really wanted to show him my now chain," Kai heard a grouchily voice said rough.  
  
Curious, Kai looked to his right to see three grown man each wearing matching leather jackets. Kai, recognized the redhead with the arm guard from a vision he had while tracking his sister three weeks ago, but he didn't know his friends nor did he care.  
  
"But at last with that punk gone, the bass hasn't been breathing down our necks," a man with greasy massy hair said.  
  
"And let not forget about that little stunt that you pulled three weeks ago that nearly got us the boot from the Thunder Splats," The man with a shaved head said with a commanding tone.  
  
Thunder Splat huh? I heard of these guys and it not very impressive, but I wonder if these three are talking about Smith, Kai wonder to himself.  
  
"Order up hen," The waitress said as she place the plate of rice ball in front of the evil sorcerer.  
  
"Thanks," Kai mutter coldly and snatch the plate in a flash.  
  
The evil sorcerer lifted his spot and worked his way to where the Thunder Splat was seated.  
  
"Is this set taken?" Kai asked in his icy smooth voice.  
  
"That's depends on the one who want their face bashed in?" the leader of the three said dangerously.  
  
Kai ignored that little commit and take a seat. He looked at the three gangsters like he wanted to make a business deal. He took a rice ball and popped it into his mouth, choking it slowly to annoy the heck out of the gangsters and it worked greatly.  
  
"Listen buddy, if you have anything to say, say it now or get out of my sights," The redhead said angrily and stood up, flashing his chain for added fear.  
  
The way the chain shined in the light, Kai could see it was new and plus it had a small metal ball at the end. But the evil sorcerer wasn't scared in one bit; instead he just popped another ball into his mouth. The choking finally got to the redhead and he thrust his chain over his head, but before he could used it, the leader of the grouped pulled the redhead down and the other gangster took the chain.  
  
"Listen if you want something just come out and say it," the shaved man said calmly.  
  
Kai took one look at the man and popped another ball, but this time he choked it quickly. Once he was finished he looked at the gangsters with serious eyes.  
  
"Yes, there's something I wish to speak with you about," the eerie smoothness of Kai's voice sent shiver down the spines of all three gangsters.  
  
"What do you want to talk about?" Shave asked slowly to make sure the fear was kept out of his voice.  
  
Kai grin and said," Just about a certain weird haired boy who has been nothing but a pain in the back for all of us."  
  
(...)  
  
On the busy city street, among the hustler and busier of the many people, a very small group stood out from the rest. This group stuck out because of four very unique things. The first thing was a boy with black and yellow hair, wearing a black jacket. The second thing was the blonde furred cat with unnatural blue eyes staring up at the boy lovingly. The final things were a girl with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and a fox with flame colored fur, hanging on her right shoulder.  
  
Matt and Rena and they furry friends were taking a break from their weakly tasks. The disgusted fox was resting on bunch while she watched Rika and Rumiko play around in front of her. Matt was off getting some sneaks for the group.  
  
It has been nearly a mouth since Kai attack and the fighting pair was still a little edgy. Rena was edgy because she knew from experience that Kai wasn't the type just to give up, but she was just lucky that Matt felt the same way so she didn't look suspicious when she was on the look out for him.  
  
Speaking of the devil, here he's comes, the former digimon thought as she watched the shadow fighter come up to her with their sneaks.  
  
"You know people will really start to talk if they see you bringing me stuff all the time," Rena said in a light humorous tone.  
  
Matt just smiled lightly and he handed her a cherry energy drink and a chocolate bar. He set down next to Rena and opened a can of his favorite soda, root beer. Once Rika heard the opening of the can, she stopped rough housing with her mother to be and eye the can hungrily. The love of root beer was just one of the many teats Matt would pass down to his daughter that Rena has been mentally keeping since coming to live with the shadow fighter.  
  
Matt was in the process of taking his first sip when he notice Rika's violet colored eyes staring at his drink. Holding the can in front of him, Matt slowly moved it to his right and Rika followed it. He moved it to the left and the colored fox followed it. He moved it up and down and Rika still followed the can.  
  
"Do you want a sap of my soda?" Matt asked and Rika nodded eagerly. He turned to Rena and asked," Did you let her had root beer while your two traveled?"  
  
Rena, keeping up her appearance nodded and said," Just a few time, but by that she was hooked. She would yipped and complain until I gave her some." Rena, ignored the angry glare she got from her cursed partners as she said," But I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if you gave her just a little."  
  
Matt, looked at the little fox with pleading eyes and sigh," I know I shouldn't, but... why not." He took two small plates from his bag at the side of the bunch and placed them in front of the two small animals. He then pooled some of his soda into the plates and Rika went for her immediately, but Rumiko eyed the plate wearily.  
  
"Don't worry its only soda and I know you had them before," Matt said in a gentle, whisper-like voice.  
  
Rumiko, looked up at the boy she had a thing for, for a quick second with loving eyes and nodded. She then titled her down and began drinking. Matt smiled as he leaned back on the bench and began drinking what left of his soda. Rena watched the entire scene unfold with one of her small smiles on her face.  
  
Once the group was done with their sneaks and their garbage was despoiled of, they resumed their airings.  
  
"Okay all we hit is the food stores and we're home word bounded," Matt said casually.  
  
Rena nodded without taking her eyes off of the road in front of her. The pair continued to walk in a comfortable silence for about five minutes when Matt stopped suddenly and began looking around. His eyes were narrowed and his jaw was set tightly.  
  
"Something wrong?" Rena asked lightly, but was curious to know what was wrong with her friend.  
  
"He's back," Matt said simply while still scanning the area.  
  
When, Matt talked about "him" the three Rs knew whom he was talking about and it made Rumiko's fur stand on end. Rena joined in the search a split of a second later and it wasn't long before they heard a chuckled that caused Rumiko's feline blood to run cold. The twisted sorcerer emerged from a shadow close to the pair with his smooth, sarcastic grin plastered on his face. Instead of wearing his normal trench coat, he was now wearing a beat up leather jacket with the Thunder Splat symbol on it.  
  
"You must be slipping if you just starting to sense me, Smith," Kai said in his smooth sarcastic voice.  
  
"What's that support to mean?" Matt asked calmly.  
  
"Because I have been following you ever since your break," Kai answered like he was speaking to a kid instead of powerful fighter.  
  
"How did you do that?" Rena asked with no curiosity what so ever?  
  
Kai shrugged and said with a proud voice," Just a spell I created myself and I might added, it was based on Smith's own shadow walking technique."  
  
"Now that we got the cleared up, what do you want?" Matt asked demandingly.  
  
"Just to tell you that you're going down and my darling sister will be drowning in a pool of her own blood," Kai said menacingly.  
  
A slight angry look cross Matt's face, but it was there for only a second and then it was gone and he said calmly," As long as I'm here, your "sister" will not be doing any kind drowning and beside I really don't think you'll get anywhere teamed up with the Thunder Splats."  
  
"Oh this?" Kai asked, grabbing hold of his new jacket. "I just joined these losers so I could used them to beat you to the ground. But I do like the jacket."  
  
"Right," Matt muttered sarcastically and then became serious," But know this, even with they're help you'll never take Rumiko from me."  
  
"We'll see, Smith," Kai said and began disappearing into the shadows. "We'll see."  
  
The fighting pair and their furry friends watched as the twisted sorcerer vanished completely into the shadows. Matt stared at the spot where Kai was moment before, before snorting slightly and turning to the still frightened feline. He picked up the trembling Rumiko and started to pet her in her favorite spot. The petting took effect almost instantly and Rumiko melted into her crush arms, purring softly. The shadow fighter began walking again while still petting Rumiko, but Rena stayed behind and Rika stayed with her partner. The disguised fox looked at the spot were the evil sorcerer stood and felt a hint of doubt rouse up in her.  
  
"Why did I have a bad feeling things about to heat up again," Rena said, voicing her thoughts as she looked down at her cursed tamer.  
  
Rika looked up at her humanoid partner with doubt hidden in her own violet colored eyes. She walked up to Rena and began nuzzling her leg in a pathetic attempt to reassure her. Rena let one of her small smile appear on her face as she bent down and scoop Rika into her arms.  
  
"Hey slowpokes like get a move on before the store closes!" Matt called to them in a light voice.  
  
"Coming!" Rena answered with a fake light-hearted tone, but she couldn't help by watch her surrounding as she ran to catch up with Matt and Rumiko.  
  
Unknown to the fighting pair and their furry friends, Kai was close, taking pictures with an instant camera. He took the photo and waited for the picture to focus. Once he could see it clearly, a twisted grin spread across his face.  
  
"Soon, my darling sister, very soon," the twisted sorcerer muttered darkly to himself and then left, using his new spell to disappear like the shadow fighter.  
  
(The Thunder Splat's hang out)  
  
The second in command watched as his superior bashed away on an old punching bag with a slight thinking look on his face. He looked at his superior and said," I don't trust that Makino kid one bit."  
  
The leader of the Thunder Splats was a man in his early 30thies stopped bashing on his bag and glared at his underling. The second in commanded of the Thunder Splats flick at that look, but he wasn't going to be silent so easily.  
  
"I just don't think we should haven't let that boy join, I have a feeling he might be the end of us," the second which was named Jou said nervously.  
  
Again, his superior, Yugi was quiet. Instead he got his new looking, brown leather jacket and slipped it on as he made his way to a small icebox in the far corner of the large room. He took out bottled water and walked over to a small relaxation area near the front of the room. He took a seat and began drinking his water.  
  
Jou nervously walked up to his superior and was about to voice his thoughts again when Yugi held up his free hand, telling his underling to stop. The leader of the Thunder Splats lowed his bottle and looked at his second with cold piercing eyes.  
  
"I don't trust him either, but if he could help us bring down that Smith punk, then I'll gladly take his help," the leader said in a cold voice.  
  
"But sir, the Smith boy haven't bother any member of the gang in almost two mouth and I don't think it-aah!" Jou was cut short when his boss threw his bottle of water in Jou's direction, which Jou barely avoid.  
  
Yugi got to his feet angrily and stormed over to his underling and grabbed him by his shirt. The leader of the Thunder Splat close to his face and his second could smell the onions Yugi had for lunch.  
  
"Now listen and listen good, that punk with the massed up hair had nearly ruined our rap, the others gangs around here are now starting to muscle their way into our turf and its all that stupid punk's fault. Do I make myself clean enough now?" Yugi's voice was low and had a level of danger to it that made his second nearly chocked down his own tongue.  
  
"Y-Y-Yes sir, I get it," Jou said nervously.  
  
"Good," Yugi said simply and let his second go.  
  
"You know I can really admire a person who can muscle fear into others," A cold voice said complementally from everywhere at once.  
  
"Who there?" Yugi shouted into the room.  
  
"Just looked at your couch," The voice replied.  
  
Curious, Yugi and his underling did as they were told and they saw Kai sitting on the couch, sipping on some water he must have gotten from Yugi's icebox.  
  
"How did you get in here and how long have you been here?" Yugi demanded angrily.  
  
Kai shrugged lightly as he said without taking his eyes off of his water," Well let just say someone need to hire some muscle to guard this place and as to how long I been here is not really that important."  
  
If there was one thing Yugi hate more then stuck up punks, it was punks who weren't afraid of him. Yugi is a master of kickboxing and had a lot of bulk to him. He was used to scaring people with his skills and muscle to get his way and it really boiled him when there's someone who didn't cowering at him.  
  
Yugi angrily grabbed Kai by his jacket and hoisted him from the couch. "Listen here and listen good, if you don't tell me how long have you been here and if you don't I'm going to bush your brain in," Yugi used his low, dangerous sounding voice he uses when he wanted to scare someone, but it didn't seemed to work on Kai.  
  
The evil sorcerer calmly took another sip from his water and looked at the Thunder Splat calmly. "Like I said before that not important, but this is," Kai whipped out the picture he taken early and showed it to Yugi.  
  
"So, it just the Smith boy and some fleabag," Jou said lazily.  
  
"But he cared for this fleabag like she was a human being," Kai replied.  
  
"What does this have to do with anything?" Yugi demanded with an edge working it way into his voice.  
  
Kai just flash his sickly smooth smile at the leader and his second and easily broke free of Yugi's grip. He took his seat back on the couch and looked at the two head gangsters again, his smile never wavering from his face. "Well I just happen to know that cat means the world to Smith and he takes her on walks ever night just after 6:30."  
  
"But what does this have to do with anything?" Yugi demanded angrily.  
  
"Easy, we lay an ambush for the boy and steal that fleabags of his and use her for bait to lure him into a deadly trip," Kai's voice began lower, adding an eerie feeling to his smooth voice.  
  
Yugi snorted slightly and crossed his arms over his chest angrily," And how are we going to do that? Even if I sent the entire Thunder Splats after that punk, I know he would just beat all of them into the ground."  
  
Kai smile turned into grin and he said," Oh but with these, he would be ice melting on hot summer day." Kai then took out something out of his right jacket and showed Yugi and his second what appeared to be cherry bombs.  
  
Yugi took one at the bomb and broke out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHA!! What good would cherry bombs against a train fighter like Smith?"  
  
Kai surprised the two head gangster by smiling instead of frowning like they thought he would. He placed his half drunken bottle of water on the coffee table and with barely touching the fuse of the bomb, lit it. He placed the bomb carefully on the tip of the bottle and the fused quickly burned away. It exploded, releasing a strange, think icy white mist over the entire bottle. Yugi and Jou watched in amazement as the bottle was frozen because of the mist. Yugi slowly reached out and touch it to be sure it was real and to his surprise, it was as cold as ice.  
  
"How?" Jou asked in awe, looking wide eyes at Kai.  
  
"Simple, magic," Kai said simply.  
  
Yugi's attention still was on the frozen bottle water with a strange glint in his eyes. He suddenly began laughing softly to himself and grabbed the bottle firmly. "Hahaha, with those bombs of your Makino, Smith wouldn't know what hit him." He then crush the bottle in his hand, causing the frozen plastic and it content fall to the floor.  
  
(Matt's Grandmother's house)  
  
"Man, I'm itching like crazy!" Matt shouted as he tried to reach the impossible to reach spot on his back.  
  
"You think you have it rough, try having all this hair!" Rena screamed as she clawed at her long hair like it was a fierce beast, trying to tare its way into her skull.  
  
"Well you two just relaxed, it only fleas," Sango said calmly as she applied some itching cream to her bare left arm.  
  
The Umrashi household had somehow become infested with fleas and bothered the residents to no end of how the little monsters invaded their home in the first place. But of course if someone was to ask two certain uniquely colored animals or at least looked at them, all questions would be answered, but these two have a habit of making themselves vanish when fingers needed be pointed.  
  
"All right who want this itching cream, it grantee to get rid of all fleas," Sango asked, holding up the tube of cream.  
  
In a flash, Matt was kneeling before his grandmother, his back to her and his shirt in his right hand.  
  
"Please, just make the itching stop," Matt said, whimpering like a small child with his first cold.  
  
Sango smiled at her grandson and oiled up her free hand with the cream. She began rubbing it across Matt's back and the shadow fighter felt it effect take hold immediately and the itching finally stopped.  
  
"Sorry Rena, but this would only make your hair more of a mass then it already is," Sango said, looking at the disguised with sympatric eyes. "But if you like, I could go out and get you some special shampoo that should get rid of all fleas in one wash."  
  
Rena shook her head and said sincerely," Thanks, but I think I can handle it, but I would like to know where all these fleas came from?"  
  
"Maybe Rika or Rumiko had somehow gotten some fleas on them," Sango suggested off handedly.  
  
The former digimon stared at the elder like she would about to jump off the couch and do the hundred-matter dash. She then slapped himself on the forehead, hard and mutter a cursed she learn from Rika a while back.  
  
I forget that Rika's fur is like a magnate for fleas and I have a feeling Rumiko's fur might be the same way, Rena thought to herself.  
  
Matt was looking around the living room as his grandmother finished applying the cream to his back. "You know I haven't seen those two since the house have been infested with fleas."  
  
If I know Rika, she and her mother are probably hiding so avoid a bath at all costs, Rena thought as she scan the room for an possible hiding spots.  
  
"Well let go and find these two before they cause us anymore trouble," Matt said as he got to his feet and placed his shirt back on.  
  
Rena nodded and the two began they searched for the furry friends. Matt took the upstairs where Rena looked downstairs. After searching for 20 minutes and coming up emptied handed, the fighters returned to the living room and began thinking about anything they could have missed.  
  
"You searched the living room and the kitchen, right?" Matt asked as he circled around the couch in a thinking way.  
  
Rena nodded as she took a seat on the couch," Yea and you checked all the bedrooms and bathroom, right?"  
  
"Oh yeah and I came up with a big fat nothing," Matt said as he took the empty space next to his friend and leaned his head back on the head of the couch. "Why did I feel like I'm missing something?"  
  
"I know, it like the answer is right under our noses," Rena said casually.  
  
"Or under us?" Matt whispered to himself as he remembered something his mother once told him. The shadow fighter got up and went over to the left end of the couch, confusing his partner.  
  
"Something up Matt?" Rena asked as she curiously watched her tamer's future father grabbed the end of the couch.  
  
"Rena, mind grabbing the other end?" Matt asked.  
  
"Um okay," Rena got up and did as she was told.  
  
"Okay on my mark, we move the couch," Matt said and Rena nodded her head, still confused by all of this. "One...two...three."  
  
The two fighters lifted the couch up and moved to the side. There in the floor was a small ditch, just big enough for two small animals like Rika and Rumiko. And said animals were there sleeping peacefully.  
  
"Gotcha," Matt whispered as he bent over to pick them up, but as fate would have it, some dust had flew up as the fighters moved the couch and want right up Matt's nose, causing him to sneeze just enough to wake up Rika and Rumiko.  
  
Startled, the two small animals looked up at their friends wearily, but as their clouded minds began clearing, the two figure out want their proctor wanted to do and bolted before anything could be done.  
  
"You take Rika and I got Rumiko, but be sure to be gentle with them," Matt said firmly.  
  
Rena nodded quickly and the two took off. Rika bolted upstairs while Rumiko stared down on the first level.  
  
The blonde cat took a sharp turn into the kitchen and even with all of his training as a shadow fighter; Matt still whacked his shoulder on the door as he tried to keep up with Rumiko.  
  
"All right, Rumiko I know you don't want to take a bath because of all the water, but I really don't want anymore fleas running around the house," Matt said as he saw that Rumiko was back against the wall.  
  
But the feline was unnatural blue eyes seemed to smile with her feline lips and with a burst of speed, ran through Matt's legs. The shadow fighter bent down to watch as Rumiko ran between his leg, but he went a little to forward and he tripped himself up, landing float on his back.  
  
"Okay, Smith that wasn't one of your best moments, but least no one was around to see it," Matt muttered to himself sarcastically.  
  
After a minute of looking at the ceiling, Matt rose to his feet, holding his slightly sore back and went in pursuit of Rumiko again. He found her with her back to the wall and itching herself with her right hare leg.  
  
Clever beauty, but I don't fall for the same trick twice, Matt thought to himself and melded into the shadow.  
  
Rumiko was still itching herself, unaware of the person creeping up on her from within the shadows. She stopped itching herself when she felt the wind change which was weird because there shouldn't be wind inside a house, so that could only mean one thing.  
  
"Gotcha!" Matt screamed, as he appeared in front of the blonde feline with blue eyes.  
  
But with amazing reflexes equal to that of the shadow fighter, Rumiko jumped onto the wall and rebounded off of it. She used Matt's head as a springboard and jumped over the shadow fighter. Matt became off kilter because of that stunt and he slacked head first into the wall.  
  
"Correlation!" Matt shouted thrusting his hand out, index finger out. "That wasn't my best moment!"  
  
The shadow fighter peeled himself from the wall and held his hand over the new red mark on his forehead, as he looked at the blonde feline, setting on the couch. Rumiko seemed to be smiling at Matt again, only this time the smile was more like touting him. Despite everything that was going on, Matt couldn't help but smile openly.  
  
You're not going to get the best of me, wildcat, Matt thought to himself playfully and then he heard a few crushes coming from upstairs, followed by Rena's stress out voice.  
  
"Rika get back here, right now!!"  
  
Looks like Rena having trouble herself, but I'll bet she's not having as much fun as me, Matt thought, throwing Rumiko a playful grin.  
  
Rumiko somehow returned the grin before bolting for the stairs with Matt giving chase seconds later. The blonde feline just reached the stairs just as Rika came down them with Rena not to far behind. The fighters' eyes widen as they saw each other and Matt put on the brakes, but it was just a little to late. They meant in a headlong collision.  
  
Everything seemed to slow to a stand stay as Matt fell backwards, his arms flying out in front him. Since Rena was on the steps when the collision happed, she fell forward and just happened to fall right into Matt's arms. He unknowing closed his arms around Rena when he felt her weight. Matt landed on his back with a loud oof and just as luck would have it, Rena laps meant his own.  
  
(Author's note: Okay, if any of you sick minded people are actually reading this, I want you to clear your head, because this isn't going to be turn into any type of love triangle, got it?)  
  
Matt eyes widen freighter as he felt the blonde teen's lips touched his own and his face turn such a shape of red that Guilmon's skin would like plain to it compared to it.  
  
Rena pulled away from the shocked teen and easily broke free from his grip. She took one look at shock redden face of her friend and immediately felt shame wash over her.  
  
His first kiss was probably suppose to be from Rumiko and I just stole it, what would Guilmon think about me now, Rena wondered, touching her lips, sadly.  
  
Matt was still in a state of shock, but was slowly coming out of it. His face lost some of its red as he vision returned to him. He took one looked at the grief stricken digimon and felt concern for the look on his face.  
  
"He's very lucky," the shadow fighter spoke softly, almost whispering to his friend.  
  
"Huh?" Rena looked down at her friend, confused by his words.  
  
"I known for a long time that you been saving your lips for someone special, but don't worry I really didn't feel anything with that little action," Matt said and winked. "Now do you mind getting off me, your not light you know."  
  
"Are you calling me fat, Matthew Smith?" Rena asked in mock stubbornness as she put her fists onto her hips.  
  
Matt opened his mouth to protest when a mix of feline meowing and fox yipping caused him to close it and the two fighters looked forward to see their small animal friends, amused by what they were watching.  
  
Matt looked back at his "cousin" with determination burning in his eyes. "Let continued this once we taken care of our other little problem," he said with a hard voice.  
  
Rena nodded her agreement and got off of Matt and to her feet. Matt took his time getting back onto his feet because the mixture of the fall and landing with a little extra weight on him had caused him to hurt his back a little more.  
  
The two fighters took a belief look at they furry friends before looking at each other and nodded. Then they lung at the two small animals, but Rumiko and Rika were ready for them and jumped back. Unfortunately Matt was in the lead and when the two small unnatural animals jumped out of the way, Rena landed on Matt, making his back pain sore higher. Rumiko and Rika continue their animal-like laughing, unaware that someone was sneaking up from behind. A pair of gentle hands wrapped around the two animals and lifted them off the ground.  
  
"You know, you guys made enough racket that I think the family down the road are going to call the cops," Sango joked lightly as she walked pass the two teenagers. "By the way, you two make a great couple."  
  
The two fighters looked at each other with reddening face before jumping off each other and hurrying after Sango.  
  
(Later)  
  
After Matt and Rena have given, Rika and Rumiko a thoroughly washing and they had some dinner, it was time for the shadow fighter and the blonde cat's nightly walk. So now the shadow fighter was walking like he usually would with his hands in his jacket pocket and Rumiko was by his side. She would glare up shyly at the young man by her side, but would quickly turn her cat eyes forwards when Matt would look at her.  
  
Rumiko was still thinking about the bath she had just a few hours again. She still could feel Matt's soft hands running through her fur as he used the special shampoo to rid the feline of her fleas. She wouldn't ever forget the glee that was his eyes as he gently took her from the tub and carefully dried her off so her fur wouldn't stuck up and she would look like a yellow fur ball with legs. But what was forever edged into her brain was the way how he said," Better, Wildcat?" That voice had sent shivers down Rumiko spine and made her feel like child being held by her father, but she would never that even if she was to die right there and then.  
  
"Whatcha you thinking about, Wildcat?" Matt asked softly when he noticed the far off, thinking glare in her unnatural blue eyes.  
  
Rumiko looked into the violet colored eyes of her proctor and became lost in them. She stared into them for what seemed like hours before looking forward and letting out a shy meow.  
  
Matt smiled to himself as he took Rumiko into his hands. He began rubbing her in her favorite spot and instantly she began purring in pleasure. He leaned up against a wall and he stopped rubbing Rumiko's ear. Rumiko looked up at the man with a feline frown because he stopped rubbing her ear, but became curious when she notice the far off look in his eyes.  
  
"You know Rumiko, one day I would just like to sit on a hill and watch the sunset with you in your true form," Matt said in a trance-like state.  
  
Rumiko snuggled into Matt's arms and join him in looking at the sitting sun. One day Matthew Smith, you'll see my real face, the blonde cat thought as she watched the sun slowly sink into the horizon with the man she have grow to love.  
  
When the sun gone and the streetlights began going up, a few figures were alimented by the glow of the lights. The figures crept up on the unexacting teen and his cat. Or at least the figures thought they were creeping up on the teen, but when one of the figures was in reaching range, Matt's right arm snapped up and his fist went into his attacker. Matt looked at the rest of his attackers as the man he just socked went down like a sack of photos. He took one look at the jackets the men were wearing and the clubs in they hands and he knew who was attacking him.  
  
Thunder Splats huh? Figures, I haven't bother them in nearly two mouths and they must be getting antsy for a good beating, Matt thought cocky as a shadow of a grin began forming. "So what do I own the visit for?" Matt asked causally.  
  
"Just to gave you a taste of your own medicine," The redhead with the arm guard said coolly as he stepped from the shadows.  
  
Matt grin openly at the redhead as he said with just a hint of confidence," And how are you going to do that?"  
  
"With these," The redhead said and whipped out what liked like cherry bombs.  
  
Matt took one look at these things in the Thunder Splat's hand and it took anything he had to hold his laughter at bar. "And what are you going to do with cherry bombs?" he asked with a straight face.  
  
The redhead surprisingly smiled cocky and by rubbing his thumb on it light, lit the fuse on the bomb. He then tossed it underhanded and Matt just took a step back to avoid the seemingly harmless bomb. The bomb exploded silently and released an icy blue mist that want unnoticed by the shadow fighter or his friend.  
  
"What was that going to do?" Matt asked lazily.  
  
The redhead's grin turn into a victory smile and he singled his men to move in. The seven remaining conscious men began moving in on Matt, but he wasn't worried in the least bit. He goes to jump onto the fence behind him when he tripped on pitch ice that had mysteriously appeared there. He fell hard on his back, which was still a little sore from earlier, but held back his cries as he rolled onto the empty streets and onto his feet.  
  
Where did that came from, Matt wondered as he eyed the ice, but then he remember that cherry bomb that was thrown at him a moment ago. It couldn't have been that cherry bomb, could it?  
  
A warning meow from Rumiko, snapped Matt out of his thought just as three more of those cherry bombs were heading their way. Matt jumped just as the bombs went off, covering the spot he was in an icy blue mist. He landed on the fence on the opposite side of the street and watched as the spot he was just in froze over.  
  
It is these bombs, Matt thought in a slight amazement. But where did they get them?  
  
Rumiko let out another warning and Matt jumped just as more of those bombs came his way. He jumped over to the other fence and set Rumiko down on it.  
  
"Stay here, this shouldn't hopefully take to long," Matt said calmly, his eyes drained of al emotions.  
  
The shadow fighter jumped from the fence and shaved his hands in his jacket pockets as the Thunder Splats surrounded him.  
  
"May I ask where you got your new toys?" Matt asked calmly, eyeing the Redhead.  
  
The Redhead grinned smugly and said," From our new friend."  
  
Kai, it figures he would be behind this, Matt thought, shacking his head. But even if he's got entire army behind him, I'll never let him get his dirty hands on my Rumiko.  
  
With that thought firmly set on his mind, Matt charged at the men who was determined to harm his blonde beauty. The Thunder Splats whipped out more of their freezing bombs and began chucking them at Matt. He began darting left and right in order to dodge the bombs freezing effects. He was also hoping that they would use on all they bombs before one of them actually hit him.  
  
One of the gangsters must have seen this and thrown a bomb at Matt's feet when he dodge another barrage of bombs, freezing the ground under his feet and he slipped on it. He landed on his back harder then last time and this time he cried out in pain. He quickly got back to his feet, despite all the pain running through his back and kicked the nearest gangster in the stomach. He then quickly jumped into the air to dodge another barrages of bombs and was meant with another wave of bombs. Forcing his body into a back flip, Matt was able to dodge the bombs, but one got hooked into his right foot and it went off. He came back down with a leg, frozen from the foot up to the knee.  
  
It just ice, shouldn't be any problems, Matt reassured himself, but when he tried to move it, it felt like he was lifting solid congruent. My leg feel like it's in congruent!  
  
A warning meow from Rumiko once again snapped Matt out of his thoughts and he looked to see the Thunder Splats advancing on him. He stood up to the best of his power and readied himself the best he could. He began fighting them off and he was doing pretty well too, but that soon ended when one of the gangsters clubbed him in his sore back. He cried out in pain and the Thunder Splats used this time to began whacking him on the back. In a matter of minutes Matt was in so much pain that he couldn't move and the redhead ordered his men to stop.  
  
"You know I waited for so long for this and no one is going to take this away," he said and raised his club.  
  
Matt waited for what he knew was coming with nerves of steels. His own only concern that he knew Rumiko would be in danger and that caused his heart to sink, knowing that he would never get to see Rumiko in her true form.  
  
The redhead swung his club down, but stopped mid-swung. Confused Matt, looked at the gangster in hopes of shedding some light, but the man had his head titled in such an angle that it was impossible to see his face. He looked around and noticed that all of the gangsters were the same way. The eerie silence that had crept into the astrosphere was starting to creep Matt out and a nervous sweat began running down his face. Suddenly the redhead head snapped up and his eyes had a look like a demon had possessed him. Matt looked around and noticed that the entire group was like that and it sent shiver down the usually calm fighter.  
  
The redhead put on a smile that was eerie similar to Kai's and walked up to Matt. He dropped his club and hit Matt hard in the face with his fist. Matt hit the payment hard and the last thing he heard before the darkness overtook him was the concern cries of one blonde furred, unnatural eyed beauty.  
  
(...)  
  
In his unconscious state, the shadow fighter could hear the sounds of a curl, almost sinister laughter, coming from everything and nowhere at once. Suddenly the figure of the twisted and evil sorcerer, Kai appeared before the shadow fighter. In his right hand, he held the unconscious Rumiko out, like he was touting Matt. In his other hand was a knife, pointing right at Rumiko's throat.  
  
The evil sorcerer laughed so curly that it came out more like a hissing sound. "You actually thought you could have stopped for from fulfilling my destiny now did you, Shadow fighter?"  
  
"Please, put her down?" Matt asked in a pleading tone. "You could have me instead."  
  
Kai made that hissing/laughing noise again as pure insanity flashed in his blue eyes," Why would I want your life when taking my darling sister's would cause you so much grief." And with a turn of the wrist, stamped the knife into Rumiko's throat.  
  
"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Matt ran towards the figure as he disappeared and the blonde feline fall. He caught the cat, but what he saw wasn't the normal feline he had grown to love, but instead a young woman about his age with fine blonde hair and glazed over blue eyes. He touched the bloodstain on her cold neck and tears began filling his eyes. "No, no, no, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"  
  
"Matt! Matt, wake up!" a soft voice broke through the vain of the darkness around Matt.  
  
"Rena?" Matt asked as the darkness around began giving away to a blinding mass of colors.  
  
"Matt, please you must wake up," a soft elder voice said as more colors overtook the darkness around him.  
  
Matt slowly opened his eyes and let them adjust to the light. He looked up at the concern faces of his grandmother and his best friend.  
  
"What happened?" he asked in a sleepy voice.  
  
"We were hopping you could tell us," Sango said in a soft concern voice.  
  
"I found you about a hour ago, your leg was completely covered in a block of ice," Rena added just as softly.  
  
Matt eyes went wide as he recalled the ambush the Thunder Splat laid for him and the bombs they used to freeze his leg. Then the moments of his dream came flying back to him and he shot up, causing him to irritated his still sore back. But at the moment he didn't care if he couldn't move, nothing was going to stop him from saving Rumiko.  
  
He threw his covers off of him and got off of the couch. His leg felt numb from being in that ice for so long and there were still the problems with his back, but nothing would stop him.  
  
"Where do you think your going?" his grandmother demanded.  
  
"Where else to find Rumiko before anything happens to her," Matt whispered.  
  
'But Matt you don't even know were they taken her," Rena said in a reasoning tone.  
  
"That doesn't matter, I will find her no matter what," Matt said in a hard voice.  
  
He grabbed his jacket from the chair on the left and a folded piece of paper fell from one of the jackets. Everyone watched as the paper fell to the floor and Matt picked it up. He unfolded it and read it quickly. A small scrawl crossed the shadow fighter's face and he crumpled the note. He threw the crumpled up piece of paper to the ground angrily and stormed out.  
  
Rena and Sango exchanged confused looks before the disguised fox got the note and smooth it out. She began writing the note to herself.  
  
"Pathetic excise of a fighter, if you want you precious hairball back come to the park on the outskirts of your neighborhood and don't forget to bring your annoying blonde haired friend, so she could watch as I personal tare you apart. You're the great and powerful Kai." Rena shocked her head as she muttered to herself," That's guy is full of himself no matter what time he's in."  
  
"You better go after him," Sango said softly, snapping Rena out of her thought.  
  
"Huh?" Rena looked at the elder with a slight confuse look in her eyes.  
  
"My husband and daughter used to get that same look in their eyes when they were set on something," Sango said.  
  
Rena nodded and thought to herself, yeah Rika has the same look in her eyes too. Just another thing I need to add to that ever-growing list of father/daughter treats.  
  
Rena nodded one last time before hurrying after the shadow fighter.  
  
(...)  
  
The fighting pair stood at the entrance of the park, one with determination burning in his eyes and the other one looking at her friend in concern. Tension was high as the two fighters scanned the area, looking for any sigh of a trap. Matt looked at Rena and the two nodded quickly. Then without exchanging a single word, the two entered the park.  
  
The tension grew as the fighters sensed that they wouldn't along. Their eyes began darting left and right as they scanned every shadow and hiding place they could see. They walked up to the play area of the park and were meant with the evil sorcerer himself. Kai was setting up a slid shaped like an elephant and was looking down at the two like they were a couple of bugs ready to be stomped out, all while wearing the curl, almost sarcastic smile.  
  
"Well look what we got a couple of bug ready for a squishing," the evil sorcerer said in his usual tone of voice.  
  
"Where is she," Matt demanded bluntly.  
  
"Straight to the point, that what I like about you Smith," Kai said, that smile of his never leaving his face.  
  
"Where is she?" Matt asked in half demand, half screaming.  
  
"Look to your right," Kai said and snapped his finger.  
  
The fighting pair did as they were told and they saw two of Kai's mind controlled puppets emerged from the shadow. Between the two was none other then the blonde feline herself. Rumiko's fur was covered in dirt and grave and there were some bloodstains on it, but what the fighters notices that most was the thin wire wrapped around her neck that the two gangsters were holding.  
  
"As you can see, my darling sister has new collar," Kai said, his voice becoming even sicklier smooth. "All I need to do is a simple nod of the head or a snap of the finger and will let me just show you."  
  
Kai told his puppets to tightly the wire around Rumiko's neck with his mind and they did as they were told. The gangster puppets tightened the wire just enough that it cut off Rumiko's air and cut off a few strain of fur. Matt watched as Rumiko meowed slightly from the pain the gangsters were causing her and it broke his heart to see his crush in so much pain. He began stepping forward without any knowledge of what he was doing.  
  
"If you moved from your spot and I'll have my "friends" cut her head off and I bet not even you're that fast," Kai said smoothly.  
  
Matt looked up at the evil and twisted sorcerer with anger burning greatly in his eyes. Rena was starting to worry that he might do something ruse and was about to act when Matt said," Kai, would you actually let a bunch of puppets take away your choice of taking your vengeance, are you?"  
  
Kai chuckled light to himself as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I see what you're doing Smith. You trying to get my goat, so I'll became clueless and make a mistake, but know this, I'm not that stupid."  
  
Matt grinned and began looking for something in his right jacket pocket without Kai noticing. "Well it sure seem like it would work, but then again, it might not work." He suddenly thrust his hand out and threw something at the gangsters holding Rumiko.  
  
A small throwing knife flew through the air and before anyone could act, the knife cut through the wire being held by the left gangster. Matt then disappeared in a blink of an eye and reappeared in front of the other gangster. He then quickly used some pressure points on the guy and knocked him out cold. He quickly got rid of the wire around Rumiko's neck and hugged her tightly.  
  
"I'm so sorry that I was late," Matt whispered sincerely in Rumiko's ear.  
  
The blonde feline responded to this by struggling into Matt's arm and gave him an exhausted, yet relieved meow. Matt smiled at this, his own worrying melting way as began rubbing Rumiko in her favorite spot.  
  
How cute a boy and his pet, makes me want to throw up, Kai thought, his smile wavering a bit and then snapped his fingers.  
  
The rest of his mind-controlled gang came out of their hiding spots and bared their weapons. They began advancing on Matt, but he was to engross in what he was doing to even notice them. The gangster closest to Matt raised his club and a certain former digimon saw this.  
  
"Matt look-," But she was cut short when she saw Matt jumped up just as the club came down and preformed a flying round house kicked to the guy's head. He goes trembling to the side and hit his fellow gangster.  
  
"Time to go!" Mat shouted as he ran through the opening he just made for himself.  
  
Rena nodded and joined her friend as he passed by. The two ran for the entrance and was surprisingly meant by little resistance. Kai watched from his spot as the two were nearly at the entrance with a victory smile on his face.  
  
Matt and Rena reached the entrance and were about to run through it when suddenly the two collided with an invincible barrier of some kind. The two fighters were thrown at least a foot back.  
  
"You actually think I was going to make it that easy?" Kai called to them smugly.  
  
"What did you do?" Matt screamed at the evil sorcerer.  
  
"Simple," Kai said with his cold smile. "I put barriers talismans around the outside of fence and the entrance so once a person entered they can't leave."  
  
Hmm, when Kai, tried that in my time, he goofed big time, Rena thought to himself.  
  
"How do we get out then?" Matt demanded coldly.  
  
"There's only two ways. One you need to beat me or two I release the spell myself and trust me I don't feel like taking any number twos," Kai said smugly.  
  
"Why your full of it all the time," Matt said in his dry sarcasm with a grin.  
  
Kai's smug look flickered for the first time since the fighters wondered into his trap, but it lasted one a minute and then his smug grin was back on. "You know you two are starting to bore me," and with that said, snapped his fingers.  
  
His mind-controlled puppets responded to their master's called and began surrounding the fighting pair. Rena back up against Matt's back and got into her fighting stance.  
  
"Got any plans, Matt?" she asked as her scanned her opponents.  
  
"Just one," Matt said seriously. "You take on these punks while I get Rumiko to same place safe and then I'll take on Kai."  
  
"That's you plan?" Rena asked skeptically.  
  
"Hey it all I could come up with in the curse of a second," Matt replied casually.  
  
Rena sigh and then said," Okay, but just don't over do it like always."  
  
"Hey this is me we're talking about," Matt said with just a hint of mischievousness in voice.  
  
Yeah and that's what I'm afraid the most, Rena thought a little worryingly to herself, but said in false confidence," Yeah I know that."  
  
Then Matt jumped over the mind-controlled gangsters while Rena began fighting them. Matt ran up to the sandbox and dug in a small foxhole in it. He carefully set Rumiko in and covered it with sand just enough that it hid the blonde feline.  
  
"Stay here and I promise I'll be back soon," Matt whispered in Rumiko ears as he patted her head.  
  
Rumiko meowed as she moved her head so she could rub her cheek against his hand. Matt smiled softly to himself and rubbed Rumiko in her favorite spot. He quickly stopped before he got to engross in it and rose to his feet. He looked at Kai with determination to stop this guy once and for all.  
  
(With Rena)  
  
"For a bunch of mindless puppets, these guys sure have a lot of brain power," Rena muttered to himself as she dodged another wave of freezer bombs.  
  
The fight was very one sided at first with Rena, pummeling her opponent with a mix of blazing footwork, kicks, punches and other moves she knew. But that soon want down hill when the mind zombies somehow gain some brains and whipped out some of those special bombs that Kai had given them. They had thrown them with such force that one would think a cannon was being fired. Rena was barely able to dodge all the bombs and when you're up against probably 30 to one, it made it that much harder.  
  
There's must be a way to get those bombs away from them before I ended up as a frozen humanoid digimon, Rena thought as she preformed a mid-air barrel roll to avoid more bombs.  
  
The disguised fox jumped behind one of the gangsters and used a sleeping hold to put him out. She then threw him into two of his fellow gangsters and ducked as more bombs came at her.  
  
Auurrg, this would be so much easier if I were in my normal body, then these stupid gangsters wouldn't stand a chance, Rena thought in frustration.  
  
Rena continued to dodged the gangsters' seemly endless supplies of bombs while trying to come up with a plan. She spotted a group of swings and a plan clicked in her head. She jumped over the gangsters and made her way to swings with the gangsters hot on her heel. She jumped onto one of the swings and gripped the chains tightly. She swung back and clocked three guys in the chin. She then jumped from the swing and landed behind her foes. She quickly knocked the guys out with a roundhouse kick to the back of the guys' head.  
  
Rena let out a deep breath as she wiped the small sweat starting to run down her brow. Now that was a chore, but at least all the time sparring with Matt seemed to really help me trained this human body. Speaking of him. She looked in the direction Matt was in and saw that he and Kai were staring each other down. Neither look liked they had more a single inch since they starting their staring contest.  
  
Rena sigh and muttered to himself," Well this is probably going to take some time, so better stretch out this human body of my." She walked over to the swings, took a seat and used one of the unconscious gangsters as a footrest.  
  
(Matt and Kai)  
  
The shadow fighter and the evil sorcerer stared each other down, neither moving a muscle. There was electricity in the air as Matt threw some of his inner powers towards Kai and Kai meant it with his own dark sorceress. Both were determined to show the other that he was the strongest. But it soon grew boring to Kai and he just stopped, but he did jumped down onto the slide to avoid Matt's own powers.  
  
"I have became curious about your powers Smith, mind sharing?" Kai demanded more then asked.  
  
"Even if I knew how I do half of this stuff, do you actually think I would tell you," Matt said seriously.  
  
"You mean you don't know?" Kai asked, looking at the shadow fighter in slight surprise.  
  
Matt gave a casually shrug of the shoulder and replied in a casual tone of voice," Hey it just something my family have been doing for years. Now are we here to talk or dance." His voice became more serious after the second sentence and he got into fighting stance.  
  
Kai's surprise was gone by now and was replaced by rage. Here's a boy who doesn't even understand how his powers works and he threw me to the ground like I was nothing by a stupid toy and that makes me mad.  
  
Kai's rage began doubling as he thought about the last fight with the boy before him. All that ran through the evil sorcerer head was the power he had felt when Matt unleashed it on him.  
  
This accident beat m? ME, the great and powerful Kai. This freak beat me, With ever thought, his anger continued to peek and small bolt of electricity began sourcing off of him. This FREAK doesn't diverse to look at me, let along lay a hand on me!  
  
With his smug looked finally gone from his face, Kai jumped from his spot on the slide and proceed to walk up to Matt in a monk style of Matt's walk. As he walked, his hair began changing colors to flame. By the time, he was in front of Matt; Kai's hair was like pure fire itself.  
  
"You don't diverse to be in my shadows," Kai's voice was low and angrily and he made sure to spit in Matt's face.  
  
Matt wiped the spit from his face and looked at Kai with serious eyes," I really don't care what you think about me, but I will do whatever it takes to protect the ones I care for, beside..." A shadow of grin began growing on Matt's lip as he said, "...They don't call me the shadow fighter for nothing."  
  
Kai's rage reached new heights when he saw how smug the boy before him looked and the electricity coming off of his body turned into raging bolts of lightening.  
  
"YOU'RE NOTHING COMPARED TO ME, BUT A FREAK ACCIDENT WITH A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS OWN POWERS!! Kai screamed in a sharp tone and jumped back as he pulled out two spell scrolls, one in each hand. "OH GUARDAIN OF THE SKY HEAR MY PLEA AND SEND ME YOUR WEAPONS OF JUDGMENT!!!"  
  
Like last time, the symbol of lightening appeared on the scrolls and bolts began sourcing around them and Kai, but unlike last time, he let a bigger charge build.  
  
Here we go, Matt thought as he got into position for his black lightening strike. He once again concentrated all of his being on protecting the ones he loved and his tattoo began glowing, but not as bright as last time. "Black lightening strike!!"  
  
"TAKE THIS YOU FREAK!!!" Kai shouted as he threw his arms in front of him and placed them besides each other just as Matt threw out his tattooed hand.  
  
Two large bolts of lightening came flying at each other and clashed, lighting up the area in a mix of blue and black lights. Smaller bolts of lightening began tarring themselves from the larger ones and bounced off of Kai's barrier, luckily none were close to Rumiko's hiding spot or near Rena and the unconscious gangsters.  
  
The bolt of the evil sorcerer's magic and the bolt of the inner power of the shadow fighter continued to clash for what seemed like forever with both wielders refusing to submit to the other, but slowly Kai's lightening was overwhelming Matt and soon the shadow fighter was forced onto one knee. Matt found himself struggling to keep his lightening from being completely overpowered by Kai's and he was wondering why his black lightening strike was so much weaker then a mouth ago?  
  
"WHAT'S THE MATTER FREAK? REALIZED IT PLOINTLESS TO FIGHT AGAINST SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME? Kai shout insanely  
  
What's going on? Why is my black lightening strike so weak, Matt wondered to himself as he struggled to get back to his feet.  
  
"Because your heart isn't completely set on saving her," the voice of his grandfather echoed in the back of Matt's mind.  
  
Suddenly that image of that young girl with the bloodstain neck from his dream appeared in front of Matt's face and he felt his heart skip a bit.  
  
No, no! I would not let that be her fate, not as long as I'm here to change that, Matt felt the need to see that blonde beauty from his dreams in real life and that determination fueled his tattoo, giving it and him even more power then last time.  
  
"AS LONG AS I'M AROUND, YOU'LL NEVER GET YOUR HANDS ON RUMIKO!! Matt shouted and in a burst of power, his black lightening strike tripled in size and completely overtook Kai's lightening.  
  
The evil sorcerer barely had time to drop his spell scroll and jumped to the side as the black lightening bolt streak by him. He could feel that same power as before flowing off of that lightening bolt.  
  
Where does he get all that power from, Kai wondered as his eyes turned towards the shadow fighter.  
  
Matt felt weaker then he had ever felt in his life and yet he his body refused to move even the smallest muscle. His hand was smoking and numb from that burst of power had and his leg felt they were rubber, but yet he refused to fall. Finally Matt's body seemed to process all the energy it lost and he collapsed to his hands and knees.  
  
Man that was something, Matt thought as he took in short deep breaths.  
  
Kai was also at his end, but since he was so great, he had a backup plan just in incase he happened to lose. With the little strength he had lift, Kai summoned the last of the Thunder Splat, he had kept hidden for this certain time, from his hiding spot and pulled out his special weapon from his jacket. The six-foot man with red greased back hair pointed the handgun right at the back of Matt's head. But as luck would have it, Kai was more tired then he thought and it was massing with his concentration. The red from his eyes were flicking and the gun wavered. Kai put all of his remaining strength into controlling the gangster and the red began solid and he raised his gun to Matt's head. Rena saw this and bolted from her seat, but she knew, she would never make it in time.  
  
Time slowed to a stand as the gun went off, filling the air with a loud boom! Matt turned around and stared at the in coming bullet with the first hint of fear appearing in his eyes since he first fought, Kai. But before the bullet made contact, a blonde blur jumped in front of Matt and took the bullet for him. Rumiko jerked backwards as she took the bullet in the side and she fell into Matt's waiting hands.  
  
Time resumed it nothing course as Rena run up to the gangster and knocked him out with a punch to the face before he got the chance to fire off another round. She looked at Matt and saw the tears threatening to cloud his vision as he held Rumiko.  
  
"You're going be okay," Matt said in harsh whisper as he looked at the wound fearfully. "We're going to get you to my place and my grandmother will fix you up good."  
  
It tore at Rena's heart as she watch her friend grief over his wounded crush. That was soon turned into rage and she looked at the spot where the person responsible for all this was, only to found out that he had let down his barrier and escaped. She growled to herself as she looked down and notice things had taken a turn for the worse.  
  
"Rumiko, please you got to hang on!" Matt exclaimed, the dread in his voice taking a deeper tone. He knew even with his speed, he would never be able to get Rumiko anywhere to treat her wounds in time. This can't be happening, not now, not that I finally figure out what she means to me!  
  
"Rumiko you can't left me, not now," Matt said, tears starting to fall from his face. "I probably should have told you this, but I knew. I knew you were more then just a cat with the most beauty eyes I have ever seen. I saw your tore human soul through those beauty eyes. It was those eyes that first got me thinking. Your eyes were so blue and beauty, but I could see the sorrowful soul that was buried deep down within and it was those eyes that haunted my dreams every single night for the last two mouths."  
  
By the end of his heart-filled talk, he was in tears and his sobs were mixing with his words, but he just didn't care anymore. The person he cared about the most was dieing in his arm no less, so he could care less for his image. But he wasn't the only one in tears that night.  
  
Rena looked on with tears of her own, but even though her mind was on the scene before her, her heart was on something else. Oh Guilmon, are you thinking about me right now? Well you hold me if I was close to death? Would you shied tears if you lost me? Oh, Guilmon, I want to see you so badly.  
  
"Rumiko, I can't lose you now, not when I finally realized that I, I..." Matt soon find out that this was going be his toughest battle, but he would win it no matter what. "I have want to say this for so long that, I, I, I...LOVE YOU!!!" As he screamed his hear out, a single shambling tear fall from Matt and landed on Rumiko.  
  
Matt squeezed his eyes shut tightly as held the dieing feline close to him. In back part of his mind, he knew it was silly for having this deep of feelings for a simple cat, but his heart told him other wises. He cared for the blonde cat with all of his heart and he wanted nothing more then to be with Rumiko for all eternal. He suddenly felt the weight in his arms shafted, growing heavier and he felt a hand gently wiped away his tears.  
  
"It's okay, it not that bad anymore," Matt heard a soft, almost heavenly voice whispering in his ear.  
  
Matt pulled himself away and looked at the girl of his dreams. She had the same blonde hair and blue eyes just like the one he has been dreaming about. He then notice the collar around the girl neck as the same one his Rumiko wears. Curious, the shadow fighter looked down at body and had to resist looking at her breast as he scanned her body for the something that would prove his theory. He found it just above her waist, a small wound just as the right size for a bullet, piercing the skin. That would have been a fatal wound for a small animal like a cat, but for a human that wouldn't even count as a fresh wound.  
  
The shadow fighter looked up at the young girl with his eyes widen in amazement and shock. "R-Rumiko?" He asked in shock and to make sure she was real lightly gripped her on the side of her face.  
  
Rumiko felt her cheek heating up from Matt's touch as she nodded shyly. She then tried to stand up but being in a cat body for nearly a year had thrown off her center of balance and when she managed to stand, she found herself falling backwards. Luckily, Rena was there to catch her and offer her support until she regained her balance.  
  
By now the shock was finally settling in on the shadow fighter and he found himself staring at Rumiko's body with a reddening face. She was just starting to develop, but he still found himself urged on by his hormones to stares at the young naked woman in front of him. Rena notice the dazed look on her friend face and how he was looking at Rumiko and began slightly annoyed.  
  
Stupid human with their urges, luckily digimon don't get like that, Rena thought, annoyed as she ducked her friend hard in the face.  
  
Matt fell hard into his back with an imprint of a fist on the center of his face, but that dazed look was still on it.  
  
"Sorry, but Matt hasn't been around to many girls like you before," Rena said calmly, turning her body in an angle that it blocked Matt's view.  
  
"It's okay, I really don't blame him for it," Rumiko replied with a small smile, that was soon replaced by an embarrassing look. "But, I wouldn't mind if I had something to cover me up."  
  
"Here! Take my jacket and anything else you would like!" Matt said quickly and held up his jacket.  
  
After Rumiko was clothed and Rena conversed Matt, not to gave up anything more but his shoes, the former feline told her story to her new friends.  
  
"So the only way the curse could be broken was for someone to realize what I truly was and fall in love with the soul deep down within," Rumiko finished her tail as she finished fixing Matt's jacket so it was comfortable.  
  
"Can I ask, why would you leave the safely of your house when you brother couldn't reach you?" Rena asked calmly.  
  
Rumiko titled her head down as shame appeared in her eyes. "Well I had to deal with the cat's natural when I became one. I did fine up for the first ten mouths I was one, but then one night I saw a black cat on my fence and tried as I might, my cat side won and I found myself chasing it all across the city. By the time I realized what I was doing, I was already lost and I hurt my right paw."  
  
"That's when I found you, right?" Matt asked softly from Rena's side.  
  
The former feline looked at the boy shamefully and nodded her head once. Noticing the look on his crush's face, Matt stepped in front of Rumiko and took her and in his owns.  
  
"Look, you did nothing wrong and if you asked me you did something right?" he said in a whispering that caused Rumiko to blush madly. "I would like to get to now the you better, would you like to stay with me a little more?"  
  
Rumiko looked up in the boy's eyes and was on the verge on getting lost in them, but before that could happened she shock her head a little sadly," I would really like that Matt, but I haven't see mother in nearly two mouths. I would like to know if she okay."  
  
Matt felt hurt by these words, but hid it like he always do, by a casually smile," Sure, but if you even feel like stopping, just drop on by."  
  
Rumiko smiled cheerfully as this and wrapped the shadow fighter in a big hug. Rena couldn't help but smile slightly as she watched her friend's go to the shape of red that would make Guilmon's skin like pale.  
  
"Thank you, but I don't know how many times I would be able to visit, because my mother is-"Matt cut off his love's words by pressing his fingertips to her lips.  
  
"There's no need to explain, but I know we'll meat again when the winds of destiny blow our way," Matt said truthfully.  
  
"Thank you again..." Rumiko leaned in a planted a small kiss onto Matt's cheek "...for everything."  
  
She then hurried off, waving to her friends as she left. Rena returned to wave and then looked toward her weird haired friend. Matt didn't wave back because he was still in shock from the kiss Rumiko had given him as a going away gift. His fingertips were lightly touching the spot where Rumiko's lips were seconds ago, a wearily smile on his face.  
  
Well there's something that Rika and Matt will never share, Rena thought as she watched her friend. Rika would never get this emotional over kiss, epically over a simple peck on the cheek.  
  
Matt then did something that took the disguised fox totally by surprise. He jumped about 20 feet in the air and threw his glowing ruby red tattooed hand into the air.  
  
"YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"  
  
Rika would definitely not do that. Takato might, but I doubt he would jumped 20 feet in the air, Rena thought as she watch Matt landed and began doing this crazy dance.  
  
(...)  
  
Matt and Rena were walking down to Matt's grandmother's and the shadow fighter was as happy as Guilmon when he gets three freshly mode bread. There was a spring in his step and he was humming a little tune to himself. Rena was taking a step ahead of her tamer's father, her eyes forward, but at time she would glare behind her and would see Matt doing something that remained her of Kazu.  
  
This is the most happy I ever seen him since I first came here and it weird seeing like that, but at the same time it, aaahh," Rena was brought out of her thought rudely when Matt got her in a playful headlock and began rubbing his fist against her skull.  
  
"Yo R, what's got you so doom and groom at the moment?" he asked in a cheery voice that remained Rena of Kazu again.  
  
"Oh I just thinking about a friend from my old hometown that's all," Rena replied calmly.  
  
"Oh so you were thinking about your old fire, right?" Matt asked with playfully grin.  
  
"What? No, no, this friend is the friend o the guy I liked," Rena come to her defense quickly.  
  
"Oh, okay," Matt said cheerfully and let her go of his headlock.  
  
The two resumed their silent walking, if you count the fact that Matt was still humming to himself. They pair rounded the corner and stopped in their tracks when they saw smoking rising into the air. In the back of their minds, the fighters knew something was off, so they broke into a full run. Even though Matt was in nothing by his socks, he was still ahead of Rena and was the first to reached the source of the smoke. When Rena arrived a second later, she was meant with Matt, his face set in that look of fear that he had when Rumiko nearly died. She didn't know what could cause Matt's happy mood to suddenly come to end and looked at what he was staring at. What she saw shocked her to her human core.  
  
In front of the fighting pair was a house on fire, but this wasn't just any old house. It was the house Matt had lived in for half of his life and in front of it was a piece of burning wood in the shape of the Thunder Splat symbol.  
  
(...)  
  
BlackRenamon (Crying on my shoulder...again): That was even better then your last chapter.  
  
Rika (Looking annoyed): WHAT IS WITH THIS DIGIMON!!! I mean he would probably ball if he stumped his toe!  
  
Me (Throwing an irritated look at her): Believe he has and to answer you question, I really don't know, but it makes it hard when you're trying to write some drama.  
  
Rika: Well you got a lot of work to do then.  
  
Me (Throwing her a grin): Hey I didn't think it was that bad.  
  
Rika (Throwing a hard punch at me and I dodged it): Of course you think it's good because you wrote it!  
  
Me (Grinning): Well lets just let the people decided on that.  
  
Rika: Fine just keep that waterfall away from me. 


	8. Showdown in The Shadows

BlackRenamon (Still crying on my shoulder)  
  
Rika (Annoyed): Why is this big baby still balling over the last chapter.  
  
Me (Just annoyed as Rika): I don't know, but it making it hard to write with him all over me.  
  
Rika (Sighing): I know I'm going to regret this, but... (Pulls BlackRenamon off of me): ...then this stupid story well never gets done if its stupid writer is held up.  
  
Me (Working shoulder muscles): Thanks, but don't think this well change anything.  
  
Rika (Shrugging): Yeah, I'm not asking for any favor exact that you get your butt in gear.  
  
Me (Grinning): Sure think your highness.  
  
Shadows of the Past:  
Chapter eight: Showdown in The Shadows  
  
Matt and Rena stared at the house that was burning in shock. That lasted for about a split of a second and then the shadow fighter snapped back into reality and charged in. He jumped over the burning symbol of the Thunder Splats and ran towards the front door.  
  
"RENA! CALL 911 AND TELL THEM WHAT GOING ON!!" Matt called to his friend and before she had a choice to reply, he went into the burning building.  
  
The former fox finally decided to come out of her daze when she heard her friend's firm voice shout to her. She was tempted to go in after him, but after debiting the issue, she decided it was best to follow his orders.  
  
Be safe, my friend and don't leave anyone behind, Rena thought hopefully to himself as she hurried to the nearest house to call for help.  
  
(In the house)  
  
"Gram! Gram, if you can hear me, please answers me!!" Matt called over the rage of the blazing inferno.  
  
The shadow fighter surveyed his opinions as he tried to listen over the blaze of the fire. Sadly the sound of the fire drowned out any other sounds even for the acute hearing of the shadow fighter.  
  
Sighing heavily, Matt once again went over his opinions. They were the door leading to the kitchen or the stairs leading the second floor. They both look bad because the fire had started to weaken the support and it looked like it was about to give away at any time.  
  
Sighing again, Matt looked between the stairs and the kitchen door; unsure of which one he should take. Finally after a second of debiting, he decided to try the kitchen. He took one step in the kitchen when he suddenly got this strange feeling in the back of his head.  
  
What's this I'm feeling? Matt wondered to himself as he looked in the direction of the stairs. It's like something is telling me to go for the stairs, but what is it?  
  
Matt stared at the fleet of stairs, debiting weather or not to trust his guy feeling and try the stairs. He wrestled with all the possibility of both of his opinions. If he goes into the kitchen and get trapped, he had a better choice of getting out if there. But if there were no one in the kitchen, then he wouldn't be able to get to him or her in time.  
  
"Screw this, I'm going with my gut," Matt told himself and dashed up the stairs as the flames around him grow more intense.  
  
Matt's feet barely just touch the floor of the second story when giant piece of wood came lose and threatened to crush Matt, if he hadn't drove out of the way at the last moment.  
  
I really hate to say this, but if it weren't for Kai, throwing all of these fire spells at me, I probably wouldn't have the guts to even try this, Matt thought as he rose to his feet and dusted himself off.  
  
Matt once again began surveying his opinions again. There were four doors to choose from this time. There's door leading to his room, the door to his grandmother's room, Rena's room and the bathroom. And the fact that the smoke was making it hard to see and to breath really cut Matt's time in half.  
  
Man this is really starting to bug me, Matt thought as he began coughing from the smoke.  
  
He tore the right sleeve of his shirt of and tied it around his mouth. He then went back to his debiting of which door to take. After an another heart beat, he decided it was time to try calling to see if anyone was here.  
  
"Gram! Gram, if you're here anywhere please talk to me!" Matt called of the rare of the flame.  
  
Matt strained all of his hearing to see if he could pick up on anything and he was reward with the all to familiar yipping of one certain flame colored fox, coming from the direction of the bathroom. Suppressing all of his satisfaction, he quickly mode his way over to the bathroom door, which wasn't an easy task because of all the fire, but he made it nonetheless. He grabbed the doorknob and instantly regretted it because it nearly burned him. He quickly pulled his hand away and looked at the door with an irritated look slowly making it way onto his face.  
  
"This is really starting to annoy me, big time," Matt muttered to himself as he tore off his other shirtsleeve and wrapped it around his slightly burned hand.  
  
Getting into a ready position, Matt concentrated all of his strength onto the door and threw a punch at it with everything he had. The door flow off of it hitches from force of Matt's punch, leaving one very shocked shadow fighter.  
  
Okay, that was something new, Matt thought as he relaxed his stance.  
  
Matt quickly got over his shock and hurried into the room. The bathroom door was now in between the bathtub's sliding doors, but he was mainly focus on the figure spread out across the bathroom's floor. Matt quickly hurried to his grandmother's side, half in panic and half in fear. He checked her pulse and was relieved that he found one, though it was weak, but it was still there. Rika was on Sango's chest, coughing slightly from all the smoke that was coming in now.  
  
Well now that I found them, how I am going to get them out, Matt wondered to himself. He then picked up her bridal style, carefully not to drop Rika and was amazed how light she was. Now this is really starting to freak me out. First I blow off the bathroom door and now I'm picking a woman at least twice my size and weight with little problem.  
  
He decided to put all of these thoughts on hold for now and focus mainly on getting out of the burning house alive. Matt quickly lifted the bathroom and headed towards his grandmother's room. He remember that Sango's room faces the front, so it was the best choice he had of getting out of there with all of their skins.  
  
Turning so the shoulder opposite of his grandmother's head, Matt plowed through the door and into Sango's room. Surprisingly the flames haven't touched this area yet and Matt was thankful for it. He went straight for the window without a moment hesitation. He bent his head down to shield Sango and plowed right through the window.  
  
(...)  
  
Rena waited outside of the burning building after calling for help, tipping her foot impatiently. She was worried for her friend and his grandmother, but she was more worried about her cursed partner.  
  
What's taking them so long? If I was Renamon, I could have easily got in and got out by now, Rena thought in half irritation, half panic.  
  
The former digimon began pacing fiercely in front of the house as she kept her eyes peeled between the house and the streets in hope that either the help she called for was coming or if Matt was going to come out. She was getting more worried with each passing moment and it didn't help that the fire was starting to get out of hand. Finally she snapped and was about to rush in when she heard the faint sounds of sirens.  
  
Running out into the street, Rena could barely make out the faint glow of the lights that belonged to the police, the fire department and the ambulance. When the disguised fox saw them, she began jumping up and down with her hands waving in the air, all with a big relived smile on her face.  
  
"Hey! Over here!!" Rena shouted it out as loud as she could.  
  
The group of vehicles raced up to her and their passengers got out. Firemen and women hurried to the closest hydrant, while the paramedics waited by for the fire fighters got the victims out of burning building.  
  
"What happened here?" a police officer calmly asked Rena as he walked up to her.  
  
"I really don't know!" Rena answered with a fake panicky voice. "My cousin and myself were meeting a friend at the park and when we got back here, my cousin's grandmother's house was on fire!"  
  
"Any ideas as to who might have done this?" the cop asked calmly as he began taking down notes.  
  
"Not really, but maybe that burning thing in front of the house may help," Rena replied, once again putting on her panicky human act and pointed at the burning Thunder Splat symbol.  
  
The police looked in the direction of Rena pointing finger and when frown when he saw the burning Splat symbol.  
  
"That's jerks again," he muttered in a cold tone.  
  
Rena was actually slightly surprised by that little bit of news. "You knew about the Thunder Splats?"  
  
The cop nodded as he continued to read things down. "Yeah, these jerks muscled their way into this place about a few years ago and do these sort of things when they went to strike fear into someone. Yeah it's a real shame how many lives were lost because of this little stunt." The cops muttered the last time to himself, but Rena heard it anyways.  
  
The disguised fox looked at the burning building, a new feeling she have never experienced as Renamon, swallowing up in her. She was over come with a sense of doubt that her friend and future father of her cursed tamer might not make out.  
  
No, no, NO! Rena shocked her head violently to rid herself of all of her negative thoughts. You can't think like this Renamon. You most remember, he's Matthew Smith, the shadow fighter after all, he can handle anything like he daughter.  
  
But as she stared down that blazing inferno of hate, she couldn't stop that feeling of doubt from growing or could she stop thinking about the worse either.  
  
The fire fighters finally got everything ready and ran up to the house with their giant hose in hand. They aimed it at the house and were about to release the water onto it when suddenly a figure busted through the window on the seconds floor, stunning everyone in the area. The figure soared through the air and landed next to the shocked firefighters with the grace of a feather.  
  
Matt lifted his head up and looked around at all shocked faces. He shrugged it off and walked up to paramedics like it was nothing. He gently handed his grandmother to a friend of Sango and began walking away. But before he could get even two steps away from the ambulance, everything from earlier finally caught up with the boy and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious before he even hit it.  
  
"Matt!" Rena screamed as she hurried to her friends, but was stopped by the paramedics.  
  
"Sorry ma'am, but your friend could be in a serious condensation and it could be dangerous to have someone untrained to handle him," a man in his early 20s said calmly.  
  
"But I'm his cousin!" Rena screamed in the man face, the panic in her voice real this time.  
  
"Then you can come with us and answered a few questions," the man stated as his teammates loaded Matt and Sango onto the blue and white vehicle. The man helped Rena onto vehicle as he began asking questions.  
  
(Later...At the hospital)  
  
Rena waited in one the waiting room of the hospital, a slight look of concern on her face. She was in a chair that faced that window and she currently looking down from the 16th floor while petting Rika's cleaned fur just like Matt would to Rumiko. She knew from past experienced from being a digimon herself, that Rika was going be okay and since she seemed so concerned about her during the trip to the hospital, one of the personal was kind enough to check Rika out and she was just fine, which relived the fox greatly, but that just meant that she had more time worry about Matt and his grandmother.  
  
The former digimon would take long glaze over to the hallway in hopes of at least seeing any sighs of her friend, but sadly nothing appear. When she would heard footsteps coming her way, she would snapped her head up, waiting to see if it was Matt with any news about his grandmother, but much to her dismay, it wouldn't be him, just someone else. Finally after doing this for about half of an hour, Rena sunk into the chair slightly and closed her eyes, falling into a deep, dreamed filled sleep.  
  
Rena awoke some time later to unique scene. Rika was quieting sipping away at some soda in a cigarette tray, while her father to be was sitting to Rena's right, rolling the empty can of root beer in his hands. Matt's eyes have this far off glare and were looking past the can instead of at it. Rena righted herself and slowly reached out to touch her friend's shoulder.  
  
"You know," Matt said softly, causing Rena to halt in her tracks and looked at him curiously. "I always looked at my grandmother like she some kind of angel, no matter what was wrong with her, she would help others and now here she is again, all because, all because..."  
  
Tears began walling up in Matt's eyes as he face became set in anger. He took the can into his tattooed hand and crushed it, slowly. He stood from chair and tossed the crushed can into the trashcan on the other side of the room. He retook his seat and clutched his fist tightly in anger.  
  
Rena watched the entire scene, understanding what he was going through from his actions more then from his words. She knew he was suffering because of what the Thunder Splat did to his grandmother, but what made the whole thing worse was the fact that Matt, himself had caused all of this because he invoked the gang by fighting with their members for so long.  
  
You caused all of this because you fought their gang member to relive stress from your life, Rena completed her friend's sentence in her head and let out a heavy sigh.  
  
She looked at her "cousin" to see if she notice any other changes in his appearance and notice a few things she missed early. The most noticeable thing about Matt was that he was now wearing black jeans with cargo pockets. He was also wearing black low tops with neo blue streaks on them. His shirt was white tee had a big black arrow pointing up, under a slightly wore out black leather jacket.  
  
The idea of where Matt got those clothes from slipped from Rena's mind as she looked at Matt's eyes. The anger that he kept hidden from the world for untold years, an anger that had nearly disappeared after meeting a certain blonde feline with unnatural blue eyes had returned with a vengeance and was burning greater then ever. It scared Rena a little, that a person could go through such a change in such a short amount of time.  
  
"So what did the doctor say about you?" Rena asked in admit to change the mood.  
  
Matt looked at his friend with such a piercing glare; that it could even chill the more harden person to the bone.  
  
"They said my lungs were not to bad because I wasn't in the smoke for to long and the only reason I passed out was because of that fresh air rushing into my lung," Matt spoke in such an icy voice that it made Rika's voice sound like a barrel of sunshine.  
  
Rena gulped down a nervous weed of spit and couldn't help but feel a tiny hint of fear rise up in her as she looked away from Matt's piercing eyes. She inched away as much as possible from those piercing violet colored eyes.  
  
Matt continued to stare at Rena with his piercing glare, but that soon got boring and he just decided to let his friend off the hook. He looked forward and rested his head on his seat and went back to staring off into space.  
  
Hours seemed too past as the two fighters wait for any word on Sango. There was a thick uneasiness in the air as they waited. Matt was just staring off into space the entire time, while Rena was trying her hardest to not stare at her friend worryingly, but she would take a quick glaze every now and then, but would quickly look away when he would catch her staring. Finally after what seemed like ages, someone came up to the two uneasy fighters and Matt immediately got to his feet.  
  
"Dr. Akechi, please tell me how my grandmother is doing?" the shadow fighter asked in a worried voice instead of his icy voice.  
  
Dr. Samuel Akechi was a man in his late 20thies, looked at the young man before him with sympathy shining in his forest greens eyes and shock his head.  
  
"I really don't know how to tell this to you, Matt," the doctor said in doubt.  
  
"Please dr., you have nearly known me all my life, so just tell me out straight," Matt said calmly, but Rena did detect a slight note of pleading in her friend's voice.  
  
The doctor sigh heavily and looked at his clip broad, deciding of how to tell a person he concerned a son this bad news. He looked at the boy with the pleading eyes surrounded in a firm face and just decided to come out with it, even though he knew that Matt could hurt me badly.  
  
Sighing once more, Dr. Akechi, looked Matt squarely in the eyes and said," as you know, your grandmother went under the knife about six mouth ago." Matt nodded and the doctor sigh once again," But what you main not know is that the operation want a little bad and your grandmother was lift was a extremely weak heart."  
  
"Doctor, can you please stop beating around the bush and just tell me," Matt said, his voice becoming slightly demanded.  
  
"Matt, your grandmother heart gave out while on the way here," the doctor said sorrowfully.  
  
"What?" Matt gasped as he eyes went wider then ever before.  
  
"Does that mean that Sango's..."  
  
"No, ma'am," the doctor said quickly, interrupting Rena. "The people on the scene were able to bring her back and stabilized her until they got her here, but now it's going to be touch and go for a while and we're really not sure if she's going to be through, but then again I have known Sango to be a touch old bat just like her grandson."  
  
The last part of the sentence was support to be reassuring, but the one it was aimed at was to wrap up in his thoughts to even hear it. Matt's knees suddenly went weak and took a seat before they gave out on him.  
  
"I knew, she was in bad shape, but I would never thought it was this bad," he muttered to himself.  
  
The doctor seemed slightly surprised by this," You mean you didn't know that, your grandmother was taking pills to help her because when we questioned this young lady here, she told us anything about Sango."  
  
Matt looked at his so-called friend in shock. Rena begin getting scared as she watched the shock in Matt's eye slowly replaced with angry. She was about to bolt when Matt leapt from his seat and pinned Rena to the ground in the blink of an eyes. He also grabbed her right arm and twisted it painfully behind her.  
  
"YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!!" Matt screamed right in his friend's ear.  
  
"Matt I don't think this is really need at this time," Dr. Akechi said calmly, taking a step towards the fighting pair.  
  
"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!!" Matt barked at the doctor.  
  
"Right," Dr. Akechi said, slightly nervous and took a few steps back.  
  
"Now," Matt turned his attention back to his so-called friend with great anger burning in his eyes. "Now how long did you know about my grandmother? TELL ME!!"  
  
He twisted Rena's arm more and the disguised fox groan slightly from the pain she was receiving.  
  
"Now if you don't tell me, there's going to be one more person in this hospital," Matt spoke in such an icy, angry voice that it made even the most evil of being look like a puppy and to ad to the threat, tightened his grip on Rena's wrist.  
  
"Even since, Rika and myself came to live with you and your grandmother," Rena finally replied, her voice murmured because of her face being pushed against the rug.  
  
The anger on Matt's face deepened as he released Rena and got off of her. The former digimon turned onto her back as she rubbed her sore wrist. She looked up at her friend with a mix of fear and shock on her face. Matt looked around the room and most everyone there was looking at him in the same way, even Rika, wore similar emotions on her fox-like face.  
  
Matt scowled at them all and turned his nose up. Shaving his hands in his jacket pockets, he turned to the door and walked out of the waiting room in his usual walk.  
  
Rena got to her foot, her sore wrist forgotten and was about to follow her friend when this mysterious voice seemed to ring in her ear.  
  
"Leave the boy along."  
  
Rena stopped die in her tracks and looked other the room, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, but most of the people in the room had already gone back to their things and Dr. Akechi was leaving. So she had to ask herself, who just spoke to her?  
  
"Leave the boy," The eerie voice once again spoke in Rena's ear, causing her to tense up. "This is something the boy need to do along."  
  
With that said, the mysterious voice seemed to die in the air, leaving Rena even more confused them before and curious.  
  
(With Matt)  
  
The shadow fighter, wondered the unfamiliar streets with no true destination in mind, just aimless wondering. Though he body was wondering, his mind was struck on one thing. He was still thinking about the betrayal that one of his only friends had committed on him.  
  
Why? Why did she keep that from me? For some reason, Matt found himself confused from this whole thing and it only added to his anger. Why? Why did she keep something so important from me this entire time?  
  
He continued to wonder, while trying to piece this entire confusing thing together, but with little or no luck. He wondered from about an hour until his anger and frustration finally exploded in him.  
  
"WHY DID SHE KEEP THAT FROM ME!!" Matt screamed and threw a punch with all of his might at a nearby light post.  
  
The light post would have fallen straight on top of Matt's head, if he didn't sidestep to the left and continued on with his aimless wondering. After another hour of wondering, Matt decided it was time to head back to the hospital. But soon he found out that he was lost and with no clear way back to the hospital.  
  
"That's just great," Matt muttered to himself angrily. "Why do things like this always seem to happen to me?"  
  
The air in Matt's area suddenly dropped and Matt knew what was coming next. He watched in annoyance as the ghost of his grandfather appeared in front of him.  
  
"Because you cause all of your pain and suffering and now those feelings are spreading to those you care deeply for," Souta answered Matt's question and pointed a finger at the young man.  
  
Matt's annoyance grown and he just decided he wasn't up for this at the moment.  
  
"Listen you wind bag of a ghost, I'm really not in the mood for you, so just go away or whatever ghost do," Matt said angrily and began walking away in the opposite direction of his grandfather's ghost.  
  
The ghost of Souta watch as his grandson walked away with his stern look never wavering. He disappeared from sight and reappeared in front of his grandson. Matt just looked at the ghost in annoyance and walked right through him. Once again, the ghost disappeared, but this time he appeared beside his grandson and began walking with him. This only strengthened Matt's annoyance and he picked up his pace and Souta kept right up with him. They continued with this little game for a while, before Matt's annoyance finally reached it peek.  
  
He stopped suddenly and looked the ghost of his grandfather straight in the eye and asked in a loud angrily voice," WHY WOULDN'T JUST LEAVE ME ALONG, YOU WIND BAG OF A GHOST!!!!"  
  
The ghost wasn't phased by his grandson's outburst and replied in his calm, stern voice," I would only leave you along once you proven yourself worthy of the shadow powers."  
  
"YOU MEAN THIS?" Matt screamed and held up his tattooed hand. "I HAVE THIS FOR NEARLY TEN YEARS, SO WANT DO I NEED TO PROVE????"  
  
"You may have the tattoo, but you must prove yourself that your ready for its power," the ghost explained.  
  
Well that was the lat strain for Matt; his anger finally exploded and before he realized what he was doing lunged at the ghost of his grandfather. Naturally, he past right through the ghost's body, causing it to break apart and reform seconds later. Matt landed on his hand and knees and got up, but kept his back to his grandfather's ghost. For the longest time the two kept their backs to each other, which would be strange if anyone saw it, because they would only see a young man and not the ghost. Finally Matt got bored by all of his this and he sighed.  
  
Matt turned around and stared at his grandfather's ghost's back. "What do you want from me?" he asked in a slightly defeated voice.  
  
"Why are you?" the ghost asked without looking at Matt.  
  
Matt wanted to roar with all of his might when he heard that sentence. He hates it when this happened and decided to voice it too.  
  
"Why do you always have to ask me that stupid question?"  
  
Souta ignored his grandson's question and instead repeated his question," Who are you?"  
  
Sighing heavily, Matt just decided to roll along with this whole thing. "I'm Matthew Smith."  
  
"What are you? The ghost asked.  
  
Matt sigh again before answering," I'm the shadow fighter."  
  
"What is your purpose?"  
  
"My purpose?" for once Matt didn't know how to answer that question, even though he knew that question was coming. He stood there for the longest time, thinking about his purpose. In the past when he was asked that question, he would answer without hesitation. So why did he feel uneasy about it now?  
  
"What is your purpose?" the ghost asked, his voice taking on a slight level of demanded.  
  
Matt looked the ghost of his grandfather straight in the eye and spoke in a clear firm voice," My purpose is to protect the people from within the shadows."  
  
"But why?" the ghost asked and eagerly waited for his grandson to reply  
  
. "Why?" Matt repeated to himself, more then anyone else. Once again he found himself feeling uneasy about answering that question, but he didn't want the windbag of ghost to get edgy again. So he looked his grandfather right in the eye and spoke firmly," Why, because it's who I am. I am Matthew Smith, the shadow fighter and it's my destiny to protect people in the light from within the shadows."  
  
The ghost of Matt's grandfather seemed satisfied with that answer, turned his back to his grandson and looked over his shoulder at him. "One of these days, you will speak those words with true passion in your voice and on that day I can finally rest." With that said, Souta began walking away, fading away to into the darkness in the process.  
  
"That would be the day pigs flies and a big yellow fox is standing next to me," Matt muttered sarcastically to the air.  
  
He turned around and shaved his hands into his jackets pockets as he began looking around. Once he was sure of his bearing, he was about to head back to the hospital when he spotted three teenagers about three years older then himself and was looking a little buzzed. But that little fact want unnoticed by the shadow fighter as a boy with flat top hair, spun around and he got a clear view of the Thunder Splat logo on the boy's back.  
  
Of course, Matt's rage return in full when he saw that logo and he did his shadow walking technique to get in front of the buzzed boys. The boys in their part didn't even think a boy appearing in front of them out of thin air was no big deal at all. One boy even offered his bottle of boos to Matt and he knocked it away in disgusted.  
  
"Hey, man, relax this is a party, no need to get rough, unless it's with the ladies," the man in the middle said cheerfully and took a big gulp of it drink.  
  
Matt looked at each of the boys in disgust and delivered a hard roundhouse kick to each of the boys. The Thunder Splats fell hard to the ground and two out of the three were knock unconscious in the process. Matt grabbed the only conscious member lifted, which happened to be the boy who first offered him a drink and lifted him close to his face.  
  
"Now, you do you happened to know where the headquarter of your gang is?" Matt asked in a low, angry voice.  
  
The boy, even with his buzz, still knew when something bad was about to happen to him and nodded.  
  
"Good," Matt let a dark, almost evil smile beam on his face. "Now if you don't tell where is it, I'm going to gave you something a whole lot worse then a simple hangover, got it?"  
  
Again the gangster nodded and that only caused Matt to grin more.  
  
"Good. Now start talking."  
  
(At the hospital)  
  
Rena paced around the waiting room, nervously. She would glaze at the clock hanging on the wall to her right and saw the time. Three hours. Matt had nearly been gone for three hours and there was still no word on Sango yet. Tarring her eyes away from the object that was only adding to her worry, she resumed her pacing, but she could her eyes off the blast thing for more then five minutes at a times. Finally about five minutes later, the disguised fox let out a mold roar of frustration and angst and she plopped herself back in the seat she was seated in earlier. She looked at her cursed tamer, sleeping in a peaceful bliss and she let out another sigh, but this one was in exhaustion instead of anger.  
  
To be young and foolish again like Rika, great now I'm thinking like a human. I need to get out of this time...fast; Rena leaned her head back against the head of her chair and closed her eyes.  
  
She tried to let all of the day's tension slip off of her shoulder like she used to, but try as she meant, she can't let go of memory of the anger and betrayal in her friend's eyes. It pained her to the core to see those two emotions in a person she had grown to love like family, so close together. But what made everything worse was those emotions were aimed right at Rena's head and it seemed to cut her in half.  
  
Sighing, Rena opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Her mind was ablaze with confusing and almost haunting thoughts. She was still trying to put all of her uneasiness behind her like she used to as Renamon, but just couldn't with the human body and it emotions were running wild. She actually found herself, growing more worried with each passing second. Sighing heavily, she got out of her seat and resumed her pacing, hoping it would calm her nerves.  
  
Did I do the right thing by keeping Matt's grandmother's secret from him? Rena wondered to herself. I mean she asked me not to tell Matt and beside I have great respect for elders.  
  
The more she thought about the more confused she became. So she retook her seat and tried her hardest to relax, but she just couldn't take her mind off of the whole situation. She suddenly felt a big gust of wind rush passed her and she looked to her right, expecting to see her friend, but the seat was empty. She looked to her other side and saw nothing. Looking up, she saw Matt, staring at her with a piercing glare, hidden in his violet colored eyes.  
  
"Has there been any word on my grandma?" he asked in an icy voice.  
  
Rena needed to gulp down a big weed of split that had jumped it's way into her throat when she heard his voice, and shock her head timidly.  
  
"Then I want you to stay here, while I go and take care of some business," Matt said icily and turned to leave.  
  
Rena came to her senses before Matt left and quickly got to her feet, banning the table in the process. Rika woke up slightly because of the table shacking and looked up at the unique scene. Rena was holding onto Matt's wrist and the shadow fighter was sending a glare her way that could make Rika look like nothing, but a puppy with sad eyes. The cursed tamer shrugged it off and went back to sleep.  
  
"Please Matt, tell me what's so important that you can't stay here and wait for word on her, yourself?" Rena asked in a firm voice.  
  
Matt looked away from his friend and she knew instantly what he had in mind and it scared her greatly.  
  
"Matt, you're not planning on going to face the Thunder Splats, are you?" Rena asked, a note of panic working its way into her voice.  
  
Matt still refused to talk; instead he pulled his hand free and began running away as he shoved his hands in his jacket pocket. Anger rose inside of Rena, but she quickly pushed it back down as she hurried after Matt. She got in front of him just as he reached the door and held out her arms at her sides.  
  
"Matt, tell me why it's so important to take your revenge when your grandmother could die anytime?" Rena half demanded, half screamed.  
  
"You never understand why," Matt said in a hush whisper and pushed pass Rena.  
  
Rena watched as Matt left the waiting room and this time couldn't stop her anger from exploding. She ran out of the room and screamed at Matt," MAYBE I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF YOU TELL ME!!!"  
  
Matt stopped die in his tracks and hanged his head. He tightened his fist and body began shacking slightly. Rena notice this and became curious by her friend's sudden change. She walked up to Matt and placed a comforting hand on his hand, only to have him jerk away from it.  
  
"Matt, please just tell me, I would understand," Rena said softly, trying to look at his face, only to have him pull away from her eyes.  
  
"That's the thing, you'll never understand," Matt replied in a hush, solemn voice.  
  
"Just try me, please," Rena asked in a pleading whisper.  
  
Matt considered that for a minute and decided to tell her just to get her off of his back. He looked Rena squarely in the eye and for once, Rena saw emotions that she never seen in her friend's voice. His eyes seemed so tired and older then he was and were mixed with something that resemble remembrance  
  
"When my parents died that fateful night in the blazing inferno of their car, I was there, watching the entire thing," Matt spoke in a solemn voice. "When the paramedics came, they told me it was going be okay, but I knew, even though I was five, I knew that it they were gone forever."  
  
Sighing, Matt walked up to a window and passed his hand firmly against the cold glass. "For six hours I waited in a room like the one we're just in, crying my heart out. The doctors and nurses that past me, all gave me false reassurance and I could see through them."  
  
Sighing again, he repositioned himself, so his back was against the window and he was looking out the window from over his left shoulder. "Then they came, my grandparents. They were the first sincere ones that also knew the truth and didn't try to hide it from me. They took me away from all I knew to some place new, to start clear and then the training began. Days after days of hard training, slowly changed me into a person I truly didn't want to be, but I still couldn't hate my grandfather because he was still a good man. Then when he died, I shed no tears, though I want too."  
  
Sighing once again, only this time it was heavier, he pushed himself off the window. He looked out the window once more and looked out it for the longest time. Rena waited patiently for her friend to continue on with his painfully story on his own. Finally what seemed like a lifetime, Matt spoke.  
  
"From that point on, I thought I was dry, unable to shed another tear, but when I held Rumiko's drying feline body, I felt these dry eyes watering once again and thought maybe I wasn't done crying just yet. And now, that my only family member is probably under the knife, those tears are again refusing to come. So I'm guess what I'm saying is I can't stand waiting rooms because they remained me of what I lost. But I want to ask, you Rena Kamiya..." Matt looked his friend squarely in the eye with uncertainty in his own eyes. "...What am I?"  
  
"I..." hesitating, Rena looked around the room, hoping to found the answer she was seeking. Not finding what she was looking for, she returned her eyes to Matt's and decided to spoke her heart. "I honestly don't know. I used to think that you can only find yourself by yourself, but during my travels, I meat some people who change all of that. I now believe that, you don't have to face things alone and with friends by your side, everything is possible."  
  
By the time, Rena was finished with her little speech; Matt was leaning against the window with his hands once again shoved in his jacket. He seemed to be thinking over, Rena's words over carefully. But after a minute of it, just shrugged it off and pushed off of the window.  
  
"That's would always by the bar that will set you and me apart," Matt said calmly. "Stay here and look after my grandmother."  
  
With that said, the shadow fighter walked away, his shoes echoing in his wake. Rena watched at her friend's retreating form and decided right then and there to stay by his side, like she did with his future daughter during her rough times. Turning back to the waiting room, Rena needed to have a little chat with the said cursed tamer before hurrying after her friend.  
  
(...)  
  
"Can I ask, why are you here?" Matt asked his companion without taking his attention away from what he was staring at.  
  
Rena lightly shrugged her shoulders and spoke in a lay back voice," Hey someone have to watch your back and are you sure this is the place?"  
  
Matt turned his eyes to look at his companion with a half of a glare, but the disguised fox thankfully missed it. She was to busy eyeing the building in front of them, suspiciously. The shadow fighter returned his eyes to the building before and began studying it himself.  
  
It was one of those old style warehouses/packing plants from the late 60thies with a smoke pipe and everything. The building was a complete wreck, with paint chipping and roof titles giving away. Some windows were broken and old newspaper was flying around in the light night wind. But what stood out the most was the green and red outline Thunder Splat's logo on the front of the building. It was just one of many warehouses of the old warehouse complex that looked ready to be tore down.  
  
"I once heard a rumor that this building and many other around here that was support to be tore down about two years ago, but it never happened, instead some say they saw loading trucks with fresh building martial, late at night coming here," Matt said in a lazy voice.  
  
"And what does that have to do with us?" Rena asked, placing her hands on her hips like Rika's does when she wants to be threatening.  
  
Matt grin casually and shrug lightly as he said," Nothing, just thought it would build up the drama that's all."  
  
He then walked up into the plant's grounds, leaving his partner behind. Rena have a mixed of pout and anger on her face as she stormed her way onto the grounds.  
  
Here I used to wonder at times were Rika got her sarcasm from, she thought a little angrily.  
  
As the two began looking around the area for anything suspicious, a Thunder Splat position himself in one of the top windows, facing the fighters and readied a sniper gun. Loading the gun, he positioned it on the window frame and looked into the scope. Once he had a lock-on on Matt's head, he allowed a grin to spread across his face and he pulled the triggers. The bullet want flying straight towards Matt's head, but before hitting, he kicked up a large piece of large pavement and it took the bullet. The pavement exploded apart, but Matt wasn't behind it, leaving one very confused gangster.  
  
"Looking for me punk?" an eerie calm voice said from behind the gangster.  
  
Startled, the gangster spun around and stared into the violet colored eyes of his target. He dropped his gun and was about to run when Matt punched him in the face. The gangster fell out of the window and was caught by Rena. Looking at her friend, she notice that there was a coldness coming off of his eyes as he jumped from the window and landed in front of her. She quickly shook it off and looked at Matt with a shape glare.  
  
"You know, you could have really hurt him with that little stunt if I wasn't there to catch him," she said in sharp tone.  
  
"How did you know I didn't want to that to happen," Matt stated in a plain cold voice and turned towards the building.  
  
Rena couldn't stop the shiver that sourced down her spine when Matt used that tone. She hated to admit this, but at the moment, Matt was scarier then even his daughter when Rena first meant her. She set the guy down and quickly looked him over for injuries. Say for the broken nose, the guy was basically fine. Sighing in relief, she hurried into the building, hoping that Matt wasn't in a kind of danger.  
  
"Take this you punk!" Matt screamed as he dropped from the sky and planted his foot onto a gang member face.  
  
He jumped off of his last victim and lunged for another Thunder Splat on his right. The gangster in a fruitless attempt to fight back threw a punch, only to have Matt dodge to the right and delivered a devastating punch to the guy's ribs. Rena winced and turned her head in disgust when she thought she heard some bones breaking. When she next opened her eyes, she saw that Matt had nearly beaten all the Thunder Splat and was giving the only conscious member a mean game of 20 questions. Sensing danger, Rena quickly ran up to her friend and grabbed him by his shoulders.  
  
"Matt! You scared this guy well enough by beating his friends into ground," Rena said, trying to reason with her friend.  
  
Matt easily broke free from Rena's grasp and sent her a piercing glare that caused the usually stonewalled digimon to step back in fear. He looked back at the frightened Thunder Splat and spoke in that eerie calm voice.  
  
"Now listen here, I want to know where you boss is and I want to know."  
  
The gangster gulped down nervously and with a trembling hand, pointed to back of the plant. "H-H-He's in t-t-the back r-r-r-room."  
  
"Thanks," Matt said coldly and turned towards the door.  
  
The boy was in some much shock over everything that happened that he fainted. Rena watched as Matt slowly made his way to the door, being on the alert for any more trips that gang might have set out. Sighing, she quickly hurried after her friend and future parent to her cursed tamer.  
  
Will you let your rage control you over something that you had a hand in making? Rena wondered.  
  
Matt examined the door; looking to see if anything was going to jump out at him, while Rena notice how the wall seemed so new, so out of place with the rest of the building. Once he was sure the door was safe, he grabbed the knob and slowly opened the door. Looking into the room, he saw nothing out of the ordinary and stepped into the room. Rena was close behind him and look over the room. For what she was able to gather was, that the room must had once been part of the shipping area, only now it had been redone and turned into what appeared to be a part quarters of some kinds. In front of the fighters was a small seating area with a couch and couple of chairs. To the left of that was a punching bag and to the bag's right was a small icebox.  
  
"You'll think with all the money these gangs get, they could get themselves a better hide out then an old warehouse," Matt said, making one of his dry jokes.  
  
"True, but I always like place like this because its can set the fear in person off, just like I can," a collected voice said from the seating area.  
  
The two fighters snapped to attention when they heard that voice and waited for its owner to show himself. There was movement from the couch and then a figure stepped into the fighters' view.  
  
He was man about mid 30thies, wearing black sweatpants, a black tank top under a well-kept brown leather jacket. His brown, blondish hair was cut so short, some would say, he was bold. His stone gray eyes had lust for a good fight and had piercing feeling to them.  
  
"You're the big wig around here?" Matt asked, his piercing glare meeting his opponent's.  
  
"Yes. I'm Yugi Thunder, leading and founder of the great and powerful Thunder Splats," Yugi said, wearing a smooth over smile.  
  
"Humph, well at least we know were you get the name Thunder Splats from," Matt said cold sarcasm.  
  
"Oh Thunder isn't my real last name, I just decided that my last name sounded too weak for a leader of a powerfully gang such as my," Yugi's smile faded away and slight anger frown replaced it. "A gang who reputation you have nearly ran into the dirt."  
  
Matt shrugged and said lightly," Hey it isn't my fault that half of your guys are weak and don't know how throw a punch. Now are we here to fight or just to become good buddies or something like that?"  
  
"Humph, wanting a quicker death, I see," Yugi took off his leather jacket and took out a roll of bandages from one of his jacket's pockets. Throwing the jacket aside, he bandaged all his arms and hands and got into the classic boxing stance.  
  
"We'll see who beat who?" Matt said as he also removed his jacket. "Rena I want for you to stay out of this, got it?"  
  
"I got it," Rena said calmly, though she was screaming her mind off at her friend's reckless.  
  
Matt didn't acknowledge his friend's words as he threw his leather jacket away and walked up to the center of the room. Yugi took his sweet time joining the shadow fighter in the center of the room and that slightly ticked off Matt. The two got into their respecting stances and Matt wasted no time in attacking. He jumped up and tried to bring his foot down on Yugi's face, only to have the Thunder Splat's leader catch him by his ankle and toss him into the couch. Matt quickly jumped to his feet and lunged at Yugi. He threw a punch and Yugi dodged to the right, grabbing Matt by the wrist in the process. Getting behind the shadow fighter, Yugi twisted his arm painfully behind him.  
  
"Did I forget to tell you that I'm a master of kickboxing and know some grasping moves too?" Yugi asked with a smug grin plastered on his voice.  
  
"Yeah, you lift out that," Matt said, his voice tight with pain. "But then again, I'm not without my little secrets either."  
  
Pushing off the ground with his foot, Matt threw all of his weight onto his opponent, causing him to become unbalance. Yugi tried to mention his footing, but just couldn't and tripped, falling onto his back with all of Matt's weight knocking the wind out of him. Matt quickly jumped off of his opponent and Yugi slowly worked his way back to his feet, giving himself some time to get his second wind. When he looked up again, he found his opponent gone. He angrily looked around the room, but couldn't find his opponent anywhere.  
  
"Looking for me?" an eerie calm voice asked and Yugi felt an icy breath running down his spine, causing him to shiver slightly.  
  
Turning around slowly, Yugi was meant was the shadow fighter's haunting, piercing glare. His eyes widened as he actually took a step back in fear from those ghostly eyes.  
  
How did he just do that? Yugi wondered to himself in a slight panic. How did he get behind me so fast? Just calm down Yugi, he's just missing with your head, so I think it's time you missed with his head.  
  
Yugi sent the shadow fighter a cold grin and there was some kind of glint in his eyes. From that look, Rena had a feeling something bed was about to happen. She just hoped that Matt was able to hold off anything that the leader of the Thunder Splat could dash out.  
  
"So Smith how your grandmother doing?" Yugi asked in a smug voice.  
  
"None of your business," Matt answered in a float voice and resumed his fighting stance.  
  
"Really, well I just thought your grandmother was under the knife now after that whole thing I put her through," Yugi said as he also resumed his stance.  
  
"What?" Matt asked, his voice rising slightly.  
  
"I was there when my gang sent that old bat house on fire," Yugi looked to see if his touting was getting under Matt's skin and was glad when he saw several sigh that it was working. "You know, the old bat was just sitting on her front porch, petting a freak of a fox when my gang rode up to her place. In fear, she took the fox in her arms and ran into the house. We then put our wooden logo in front of the house and tired a gas soaked rope around it, leading to your front porch and lit it. The old bat never knew what was going on until it was too late. But I do have to say, she does have a nice set of lungs."  
  
"Shut up! Shut up! Shuuuuutt UUUUPPP!! Matt blindly threw himself at Yugi and threw a punch.  
  
Yugi easily dodged the punch and delivered an uppercut to Matt's chin. Matt quickly recoiled from the blow and began blindingly throwing punches, which Yugi dodged without effort. He began moving backwards until he was back up against a wall, but he didn't look worried as Matt threw a punch his way. Yugi easily dodged the punch and jumped over the shadow fighter. Landing behind him, Yugi got Matt's head in a lock and tossed him back into the center of the room. Ignoring the pain shooting through his entire body, Matt leapt to his feet and threw himself at Yugi again.  
  
From the sidelines, Rena watched as her friend threw himself at his opponent and began another useless assault. She knew what was happening and she didn't like it one bit.  
  
Yugi has gotten inside Matt's head and clouded his thinking, I only hope Matt could come to his sense in time, Rena thought a little worryingly.  
  
"HIIAAAHH!!" Matt jumped over his opponent and tried to plant his foot into Yugi's skull, only to end up early, expect this time, he was thrown into a wall. Having wore himself out with all of these useless attacks; Matt struggled to get back to his feet.  
  
I don't get it! Matt thought angrily. I have the power and the skull so why is he taking me apart.  
  
"Because your head's just isn't in the game," the voice of his grandfather whispered in his ear.  
  
"I'm really not in the mood for you, old man," Matt muttered to the air.  
  
"But you can't win in the state you're in now," the voice said.  
  
"Then what would you have me do?" Matt asked.  
  
"Clear your head and remember your training," the voice replied and faded into the air.  
  
"REMEMBER WHAT?" Matt screamed into the air.  
  
"Hey freak, I think you finally lost it," Yugi said insultingly.  
  
Matt glared at his opponent as he finally managed to get back to his feet. Holding the wall for support, he watched as Yugi readied himself and lunged for the batter fighter.  
  
What does he want me to remember? Then as if to answer his wondering mind, Matt heard a drop of water hitting the ground. Where did that come from?  
  
Time seemed to stop all together as Matt looked for the source of the water. Surprisingly he found it right next to him. There was some water coming in from the storm that had started during Matt and Yugi's fight. Watching as the tiny droplets of water fell onto the little wet sport they were creating seemed to kick an old memory of Matt's into high gear.  
  
Yes I remember now...  
  
(Flashback)  
  
A nine-year-old Matthew Smith waited in the slightly freezing weather, wearing nothing by a green training gi, for his grandfather to set something up. His grandfather, Souta was on the roof, busy with something that happened to do with Matt's training. Matt for his pointed waited impatiently for his grandfather to finish so he could get out of the cold and go back to his nice warm bed. Once Souta was finished with his task, he grabbed a small piece of rope at his side and jumped to the ground with grace someone his age shouldn't have.  
  
"Are you ready, Matthew?" his grandpa asked him in a firm, yet somewhat gentle voice.  
  
Matt sighed in boredom and then looked up at his grandfather," Why am I doing this again?" There was a small hint of anger in the boy's voice.  
  
Souta sighed at his grandson's question. He had known for a while now of Matt's growing temper and was planning on squashing it here and now. "I already told you this last night, Matthew. This exercise is going to help your hone your senses to their fullest?"  
  
"But why do that when I can see just fine?" the boy asked in childish curiousness.  
  
The former shadow fighter kneeled down to the current Shadow fighter's eye level and said in a gentle voice only an elder had," True, your eyes are great, but they can be fooled, but using, sight, hearing, touch and smell together can make an unstoppable team."  
  
"But what about the other one?" Matt asked curiously.  
  
"Taste is another good sense to use, but I wouldn't suggest to use it all the time or trust me it would leave a nasty taste in your mouth for weeks," Souta said gently, but then turned serious. "Now Matthew, I would let a single drop of water from the device I just set up, your goal is to break that droplet."  
  
"Easy," Matt said in confidence.  
  
"We'll see, my grandson," Souta grabbed the rope from early and readied himself. "Ready?"  
  
Matt got into his family usual fighting stance and said," Ready."  
  
Then without giving any kind of warning to his grandson, Souta gave the rope a little tug. Matt heard the creek of wood being moved and he thought he saw something moved. In one swift motion, he thrust his hand out and threw a punch. He grinned in triumph, thinking he hit the droplet, but that was soon changed when he heard the droplet hit the ground.  
  
"Again!" his grandfather ordered.  
  
Sighing, Matt resumed his stance and stressed his eyes to see in the darkness. He once again heard the creek of the woodland thought he saw something falling. He threw a punch, only to have it end in the same results as before.  
  
"Again!"  
  
The continued on for the next half an hour with Matt missing every drop of water that was sent down and he was close to blowing his top. But before that could happen, his grandfather stepped in.  
  
"Do know why I pick this night for this type of training?" Souta asked.  
  
Matt shocked his head though he doubted his grandfather could see him in this moonless night.  
  
"Because there's no moon out tonight, thus there's no light to help you see," his grandfather stated, knowingly. "Thus you need to use your other senses to help guide you."  
  
"But how, grandpa?" Matt asked with a hint of anger in his voice.  
  
"Listen to when I opened the door, then feel the change in the wind with your sense of touch as I taught you years ago. Smell the freshness in the water with your sense of smell," Souta instructed for the shadows.  
  
"I'll try, grandpa," Matt answered with doubt in his voice.  
  
"Just remember this, anything you put your mind to, you can do."  
  
Matt nodded once and closed his eyes, focusing on his others senses. What he felt at the moment was incredible to say the least. He could hear the sounds of the nighttime creatures. The sounds of owls hooting in the night air or a cricket, singing it nighttime songs were full in the air. He could even hear the almost mute sounds of his grandfather's breathing.  
  
"Now, Matthew, I'm going to be letting another drop fall, understand?"  
  
Matt nodded his understanding and focused all of his attention on the familiar sound. He heard the creek as before, but this time, felt the wind like he was taught too. He felt the wind rippled around the droplet and using his sense of smell, targeted it. He threw out his right fist and felt the cold-water splash across his fist as it rimmed through the little droplet.  
  
"Good. Now do it again, but this time only your eyes," Souta told his grandson  
  
Matt did as his grandfather told him and waited, his senses on full alert. He heard the creek, singling that it had started, but this time it was different. This time there were two droplets instead of one. But Matt was a fast learner and by now learned to control his senses to a degree that he could make a mental picture of his surrounding, so he could see the droplets as their fill. Matt punched both of them in no time.  
  
Good," Souta committed from the side.  
  
This went on for about an hour, Souta would keep raising the number of the droplets by one and Matt kept up easily. By the end, Matt's was shivering worse then when they began and trying to warm himself up was only making it worse because his hands were soaked to the bone. Seeing this, Souta got a towel from the porch and his jacket and went over to his grandson. He dried Matt's hands and draped his jacket over his grandson's shoulders.  
  
"Better?" he asked and his grandson nodded shyly. "Good, now lets get your inside so you can warm up and get back to bed."  
  
Then grandfather took his grandson in his arms and together they went into the nice warm house, where they both know that a certain someone was waiting for them with something to warm their bone.  
  
(End of Flashback)  
  
I think I finally get something, grandfather, Matt thought. By anger held me back didn't it? You saw what was happening to me and tried to crush it when I was small, but it didn't work. But how do I get rid of something that has been with me for ages?  
  
"Remember her," his grandfather voice ringed in his ear as if answering his questions.  
  
Her? Then a picture of Rumiko Makino appeared before the boy and a wave of relief washed over the boy. He imagined seeing her smiling face and hearing her beautiful voice. That caused the walls of fire around his heart to die and for the first time in his life, he felt the true power of the shadow fighter to course through his vein.  
  
The image of the smiling girl was replaced with that of dripping water and Matt readied himself. Like when he was nine, the boy targeted the droplet through he senses and threw a punch. He broke the droplet like last time, but in reality he just stopped a punch Yugi had threw at him.  
  
The leader of the Thunder Splats was high surprised by this suddenly act. Yugi had thought that his opponent was lost in his own rage to even move and decided to go in for the kill with a punch, only to have his opponent to block it. But he wasn't the only one surprised by all of this.  
  
On the sidelines, Rena watched the entire fight with worry growing a pit of her gut. When she saw that Yugi was going in for the kill on the unexacting Matt, she was about to move in when he blocked Yugi's punched, stopping the disguised fox in her tracks.  
  
Shrugging the whole thing off as a fleck, Yugi jumped back from Matt and went at him with a kick this time. Once again, Matt saw a droplet of water in his mind's eye and this time use a knee jab to broke the droplet, thus stopping Yugi's kick in mid-process. Loosing his balance because of that little Stunt, Yugi stumbled backwards a few inches before regaining his footing. He looked at the man in front of him, a man he thought he had beaten, in complete shock.  
  
Matt opened his eyes and looked at his opponent with the eyes of a warrior. All of the navigate emotions that were buried deep within his eyes were now gone and was replaced with new emotions. Yugi stared into those eyes for the longest time and for the first time since he started his gang; he felt fear building inside of him. But he quickly crushed it and grew angry from that stare.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT FREAK?" Yugi screamed angrily and threw himself at Matt.  
  
He threw a punch at the shadow fighter and Matt easily caught it by holding out his right arm. He then twisted his opponent's arm under his and brought his face close to Yugi's.  
  
"You'll never be able to beat me now," Matt spoke those words with calmness; completely devoid of any kind of navigate emotions.  
  
He then grabbed Yugi by his shoulder with his free hand and lifted the man off of his feet. Needless to say this greatly scared the leader of the Thunder Splats greatly. Here he was, a man being held up by a boy half of his size. Matt then let the man go and spun around quickly, kicking the larger person square in the chest. Yugi was sent flying back right into his couch. Pain ran through Yugi's back like a wild bull in the desert  
  
He's really is a freak, Yugi thought as he sank to the floor. Struggling to looked up, he asked," What are you?"  
  
"Me? I'm something you're never understand," Matt answered in a controlled voice.  
  
Yugi stared at Matt in slight shock, but then he suddenly began to laugh. "HAHAHAHA! Don't try to make yourself seemed high, Smith. You and I are the same." Yugi spotted his jacket and a plan began forming in his hand. He began edging closer to the leather object as he kept Matt business. "Just admit it, Smith, you and I are the same, we both long for a good fight."  
  
"That may have been so, but I change," Matt said calmly.  
  
"No one can change that much in just a minute," Yugi said as he unnoticing inched closer to his jacket.  
  
"My change was clouded because of my anger, but now it's gone and I'm ready to fight for something more," Matt replied.  
  
"Ha! What's there's left in this world to fight for," There was a level of controlled anger in Yugi's voice as began slowly reaching for his jacket. "I learned when my no good parents left me in the cold winter night, that the only person worth fighting for is you."  
  
"I don't believe in that," Matt said softly. "In fact I owe a person a lot for what she done for me and when I see her again, I'm going to tell her how much she's means to me."  
  
Hearing all the babble that Smith was dashing out finally got to the Thunder Splat's leader and he broke out in an insane laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! YOU KILL ME, YOU KNOW THAT SMITH? If you relay on others, sooner more then later you're going to regret it!" Ignoring the pain shooting through his back, Yugi grabbed his jacket and threw himself onto his feet. He whipped out a gun and aimed it at Matt's head.  
  
Matt stared at the barrel of the gun with cold determination and replied in a slightly hardened voice," You should talk. You hide behind a gang and now you have a gun at my head, yeah that's relaying only on yourself." Matt said the last part sarcastically.  
  
There was an insane glint to Yugi's eye as he chuckled at that commit," If it's help get power, who cares how it's done."  
  
"No, you don't know power," Matt hissed in a sharp tone.  
  
"I own nearly all of this city you live in and you don't call that power?" Yugi asked with an edge growing in his voice. "THEN TELL ME, FREAK! WHAT DO YOU CALL POWER?"  
  
"The power...my power is fueled by emotions," Matt spoke softly, touching the place were his heart was located.  
  
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, FREAK?" Yugi screamed violently.  
  
"LET ME PUT IT IN A WAY EVEN YOU CAN UNDERSTAND!!! EMOTIONS LIKE LOVE AND KINDNESS ARE THE POWER BEHIND THESE FISTS OF MY!!!" Matt got into his usual black lightening strike stance and black lightening began surging off of his tattoo.  
  
"IS THAT SO, FREAK? WELL THEN TAKES MY POWER!!!" Yugi screamed at the tops of his lungs and fired his gun. The gun back lashed as the bullet went flying from the barrel and went straight towards Matt.  
  
"I don't think so," Matt said surprisingly calm and jerked his hand forward. All of the black lightening gathered into his palm and he fired for the first time, the true honest to god, black lightening strike.  
  
The black lightening strike meant the bullet in a headlong collusion in which, the bullet was thrown to the side. The bullet zoomed past Rena, but the disguised fox was so engross in what was happening, that she didn't even feel the heat the bullet was emitting.  
  
The black listening continued on it course after deflecting the bullet and Yugi didn't even think about moving. He cried out in agony as he was threw off his feet and went flying into his couch once again. Half of the leader of the Thunder Splats was hanging over the back of the couch while the other half lay on the front of the couch.  
  
"I...can't...move..." Yugi gasped as he struggled with all of his might to move, but it seemed like his all of his muscled were frozen stiff.  
  
"You won't be able to move for some time," Yugi heard Smith said and stressing all of his neck muscles, looked up at the face of a boy who had just became a man. "Know this now, Thunder, that was my family power and when it wears off, you still feel it pulling at your heart like a bad habit."  
  
"What...are...you...freak?" Yugi asked in anger.  
  
"I told you already, Thunder. Bu know this, your Thunder Splats end here and with it your reputation I make sure of that." Matt looked to his right as his friend came up to him with his jacket. "I'm sorry for early, Rena, can you forgive me?"  
  
Rena let her trademark smile appeared as she held out her friend's jacket and said," It's already in the past."  
  
Matt let a real causal smile beamed on his face as he took his jacket and threw it over his shoulder," C'mon, let blow. I know of two very special ladies that are waiting for us in a white room."  
  
Rena just continued to smile as she nodded her agreement and then the two left.  
  
"Smith, were are you going? We're not done here!" Yugi screamed to himself. "SMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITH!!!"  
  
The Thunder Splat's leader cry echoed through the empty warehouse, but it want unnoticed as the fighting pair made their way out of the complex, thus closing this dark chapter in the legacy of the legendary family of fighters.  
  
(...)  
  
As the first morning rays of the sun, entered through the hospital room's window, it crept on one unexacting flame colored fox. She squeezed her eye shout tighten in admit to block the ray threatening her sleep. When that didn't work, she opened her eyes lazily and shifted, so her back was facing the window. Lying back down, she closed her eyes, ready to resume her rest, when she felt the surface beneath her shift, causing her to roll onto her right side. Rolling back onto her feet, Rika looked towards the head of the bed in a half asleep, half irritated way.  
  
Sango was surprisingly up after going through never seven hours of surgery. She was staring at the rising sun through her room's window. She had that soft, gentle smile that only an elder could possess.  
  
Having her irritation replaced with curiousness, Rika walked up to her great-grandmother and let out a tired yip. Slightly surprised by the noise, Sango looked down at the fox for a second before smiling again. She took the cursed tamer of the future into her arms and began rubbing her back, gently.  
  
"Hallo, little one, did you stay by my side all night," the elder asked softly.  
  
Rika nodded her head, quit shyly for some strange reason. The elder's smile grew slightly and she looked up.  
  
"Well at least you wouldn't along," she said softly.  
  
Rika titled her head to her side in slight confusion and then followed the elder's glaze. She saw her humanoid partner, sleeping in a chair to the right of Sango's bed, a black leather jacket acting as a blanket. Rika would have smiled if she weren't still half asleep. Turning back to the elder, the cursed tamer noticed that Sango was staring out her window again with a relaxed looked in her eyes.  
  
"Look little one, the sun burns as if this day brings new beginning for all," she spoke in a relaxed tone.  
  
Rika stared up at the grandparent of her future father and not for the first saw a likeness to her own grandmother. Letting the memory of the elder who she spent most of her childhood with, Rika got herself comfortable and drifted back off into a nice sleep.  
  
(...)  
  
Standing on top of the hospital was the shadow fighter himself, watching as the sun rose, setting it peaceful feeling into Matt's heart. This was one of those rare times when Matt had his strange colored hair out of its ponytail and was flying freely in the morning's breeze.  
  
The sun burns with the passion of a new day, a new start, just as I feel at this very moment, Matt thought easily as he gently shoved his hands in his jeans pockets.  
  
He felt the change in the wind way before he felt the drop in temperature, causing a faint smile to appear on the fighter's lips. In few seconds, the ghostly image of Souta was right next to his grandson, staring at the raising sun also.  
  
"What do you want, you old wind bag of a ghost," Matt asked lightly.  
  
The ghost of the former shadow fighter looked at his grandson, the same smile as Matt, on his face as well.  
  
"Who are you?  
  
The small smile on Matt's face grew slightly as he looked up at the sun. "Who am I? I am Matthew Smith."  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"I am the shadow fighter."  
  
"What is your purpose?"  
  
"...To protect the people from within the shadows," Matt spoke in a whisper.  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Why? " Matt got into his usual fighter stance and when he next spoke, there was passion behind his spoke as he began throwing punches and kicks at the air," I protect people from the shadows because that's who I am. I am Matthew Smith, the shadow fighter and it's my destiny to protect people in the light from within the shadows."  
  
"Yes that's who you are and much more," Souta said softly and turned away from his grandson.  
  
"Where are you going?" Matt asked.  
  
"Your training is complete and you have proven yourself to be a true shadow fighter, so I'm now no longer need in the plain," Souta replied without looking at Matt.  
  
"Well I ever see you again?" Matt asked a little sadly.  
  
Souta looked over his shoulder and gave Matt and elderly smile. "When you cross over and when that's happened, I like to have a long drink with you and nice friendly talk, but for now never lose who you are." With that said, the ghost of Sango's husband and the grandfather to Matthew Smith disappeared with one finally saying," See you later, shadow fighter.  
  
"Yeah, see you later, shadow fighter," Matt knew that this would be the last time he ever sees his grandfather for a long time, wasn't sadden by this.  
  
As he looked towards the sun one more time a thought pops into his head. I owe a lot to one person for who I am now and when the winds of destiny blow us together, I'll tell my beautiful wildcat, just how she's truly means to me. So until that time, Rumiko Makino, be safe and happy.  
  
(...)  
  
Rika (Poking an unconscious BlackRenamon with a stick): This stupid digimon is worse then gogglehead when I first meant him.  
  
Me (Shrugging my shoulder): Yeah, but what are you going to do about it?  
  
Rika (Dropping her current activate): True. So empty head, mind telling what you have in store for the read of this limb story, or do I have to beat it out of you like the others.  
  
Me (Shrugging again): Well there's only about four more chapter to go and this last three were probably the highlight of it.  
  
Rika (Not believing my words): Really, so you're going to do a limb reunion of my forks?  
  
Me (Catching onto Rika's plan): I never said that, but before sighing off, I can tell you this. The next chapter had something to do with four years.  
  
Rika (Confused): What does that have to with anything?  
  
Me (Grinning slyly): You'll just have to wait and see. 


	9. Four Years in The Shadows

Rika: Well, are you going to start singing before I used your face as a punching bag?

Me (sighing): Listen you royal pain in the backside, you have been trying to get info from me this whole story and my answer is still the same.

Rika: Well you're going to tell me this time and trust me I mean it this time!

Me: What did I ever do to you in the first place, anyways?

Rika: You want know? Well first, you change gogglehead and myself into small, weak animals that could only blow bubbles and then you throw my partner and myself into the past and now you nearly made me choke on smoke in that last chapter. Do I need to go on?

Me (Yawning): No, that enough. Anymore and I would never be able to get working on this chapter. (Muttered last sentence)

Rika: What?

Me: I was saying, I think we should start this chapter.

Rika (Throwing a suspicious look)...Okay, but I'm watching you.

Me (Rolling eyes and sighing): Why I am cursed?

Shadows of the Past:

Chapter: Nine: Four Years in The Shadows

Four years. To must, it was nothing but a short period of time in their lives. In four years, young children grow into preteens and four years after that they grow into teenagers and after that into young adults and then beyond. For most, four years were just part of the cycle of life that they needed to live with. But ever so often, four years could mean something to someone.

In the house of a Sango Uarmeshi, two figures moved across the back lay with such speed, that they would appear be nothing by blurs to the mere eye. Matt AKA, the black blur, moved in on his opponent, Rena, otherwise known as the yellow blur.

Rena flipped over her opponent and admitted to trip him up, but Matt saw this and jumped up slightly to avoid the attack. He landed on the spot he was just on and threw her a cocky smile over his shoulder. The shadow fighter knew how much that smile would get to Rena and like clockwork; the disguised fox lunged at her self-proclaimed cousin. Matt dodged to the right, thinking he was foreseeing Rena's movements, only to have an elbow meant with his check. Matt's head was jerked a little, but he quickly recoiled and looked at Rena.

"Well, looks like my little cocky smile can't fool you anymore, cousin," Matt said light heartedly as he lightly rubbed the red mark lift behind from Rena's last attack.

"Well, you have been using that same strategy for our last three matches, so I thought I would try something a little different then normal," Rena replied, grinning lightly and resumed her stance.

Matt also resumed his fighting stance and the two fighters began their usual staring contest. If someone would look at the two teenagers for a long distance, they wouldn't be able to notice any difference between the two. But one would have to have a birds eye view in order to see the thin lay of sweat on Rena's face and one would have to be near the fox, herself to hear her shortened breathing. Matt, on the other hand was just beginning to sweat and his breath was still even and level...to a certain level.

The fighting pair continued their staring contest for about five minutes, each looking into the other's soul to see if any weakness could be found. When that proved useless, the two just charged at each other. Matt darted to the right suddenly and disappeared, but it didn't surprised Rena in the least. She waited, trusting more in her senses then her eyes for the right time. When that time came, she jumped up; avoiding a punch sent her way by her friend. Flipping over Matt, Rena get him in lose headlock and threw him over her head. Matt recovered quickly and landed on his hands and knees in an almost cat-like position. Using that position to his advantaged, Matt lunged for Rena, knocking her feet out from under her and causing her to fall into her back. Stopping himself, Matt jumped over to his back and thrust his leg into the air. He swings it down and stopped just mere inches from Rena's nose.

Rena stared at the heel of her "cousin's" foot with complete ease and sigh. "Okay, okay, you win...again."

Matt pulled his foot away from Rena, and jumped to his feet. He offered his hand and Rena took it. Matt helped Rena to her feet and then the fighters went over to the porch were they kept some water for after they got done with they morning spar.

"You know, Rena, you throw like a demon," Matt said as he worked his sore neck.

"Hey you got to be touch if you want to take on a power house," Rena replied causally.

The last four years have been quit well for the two fighters. All of they morning sparing matches have kept their bodies well toned and fitted. Rena had also developed into quit the knockout and must men in the school would tripped when they saw her, but she could do without all of the men trying to ask her out, but when that happened she would tell them that she was already taken, which was true to a certain level.

Matt was pretty much that same. He had grew into a lady killer, but to someone who really knew him, they would know that he was waiting for that fateful moment when he would be reunited with his one and only true love.

Taking a seat on the steps of the porch, Rena took the bottle water that was there and tossed one to Matt. She opened the bottle and took one long drink from it.

"So Matt, what are you planning on doing after we leave high school?" Truly, Rena didn't think she would actually be in the past this long, but she knew, she needed to keep up her appearance from keeping Matt from getting suspicious again. "Um, Matt are you listening?"

She looked at her friend and notice that he was looking up at the sky with one of theses lovesick look on his face. Leaning out of the porch, Rena saw that Matt was staring up at the full moon and knew what was coming next.

_Oh boy, here's it comes,_ Rena thought in annoyance. _...Three...two...one and cue Matt._

"You know, Rena, I told her my deepest and darkest secret on the night of a full moon, just like the one that shines over us now," Matt said softly, turning his eye from the moon to his water.

Rena had to resist the urge to groan out loud. Matt had told this same story for the past four year, even time he sees a full moon and it was getting to the point that it was starting to wear on Rena's nerves.

"I knew she would kept that secret for me, partly because at the time, she was a cat and couldn't talk, but I knew she was more by just looking in her eyes," Matt returned his eyes to the moon as he took a long drink of water.

"If you missed her that much, why don't you just go and see her?" Rena asked, the annoyance in her voice clear.

Matt took the bottle away from his lips and looked at Rena in a thinking manner. But soon his eyes lost that look and gain something that looked like embarrassment," I wouldn't really know what to say when I saw her."

This time, Rena did groan, but just a little. At the moment, Matt reminded the former digimon of certain, shy, goggle wearing teenager instead of a powerful warrior, he was now.

"Well how about this...Hi, how you been," Rena said, the annoyance in her voice, growing.

The embarrassment in Matt's eyes faded and was replaced with annoyance. "Oh, really and what would you say to your lover when you saw him.

"I, ummm. I mean I would..." Rena found herself at a lost for words at that little question and a light, almost useable blush spread across her nose and cheeks.

Matt watched as his "cousin" began fidgeting with herself as she tried to come up with an answer. A cocky grin began forming on the lips of the shadow fighter. "Well, c'mon, Rena. I'm, waaaaaaiting."

Rena started to get ticked off by all of this; she gulped down her remaining water and threw the empty bottle at Matt. "I'm going for my walk now." And got up and hurried off before she said anything she might have regretted.

Matt allowed a big grin to appeared on his face as he called to Rena," Oh sure run away when things aren't working for you!"

He then finished off his water, tossed the two bottles on the porch and jumped onto the roof, so he could continue thinking about his wildcat.

(With Rena)

Rena was walking her normal route she usual go after sparing with matt. Usually, she walks to stretch out her sore muscles, but this time was different. She was trying to work off the frustration and embarrassment she was feeling from all of Matt's teasing.

_Oh just come off of it, Renamon,_ she told herself firmly in her mind. _You know, you can't see a loaf of freshly made bread or a child innocently playing in the park without thinking about Guilmon._

In these past four years, Rena had found herself longing for Guilmon. She would often zone out while in class and would began writing Guilmon's name on her notebook or something else that was in front of her. Luckily no ever saw her doing that or she would have to do a lot of talking to save herself.

As Rena walked down the street, hands shoved in her training jacket's pockets for warms, her thought continued to drift to the baby-voiced, bread eating machine, digimon, who she had fallen for. She would dream about the fateful time when they would be reunited. But she also have more unique dreams as well. But she had this one dream that was probably the most embarrassing one. She closed her eyes and the event of the dream was clear to her.

She as Renamon was sitting on the steps to the old hang out of the digimon tamers. She was holding a rose in her right paw, twisting it around and taking it in its strangely familiar scent. Everything around the yellow-coated digimon was surprisingly painted red. The leaves on the trees, the bushes and even the steps she was sitting on, all seemed to have been colored in red.

The wind suddenly picked up, sending a chilling breeze the fox's way and surprisingly effecting Renamon, even with her thick coat on. Putting down the rose, gently, she brought her hands onto her arms and was a little surprised to feel bare skin instead of fur. Looking down at herself, Renamon was shocked to find herself in her human form of Rena Kamiya. She was in a causal dress, but for some reason, she felt like she should have dress a little my fancy then she was now.

The wind became colder, freezing the once former digimon more and she began rubbing her arms in admit to keep herself warm. Something was suddenly dripped over her shoulders and followed by a deep, yet familiar voice.

"Better, my beautiful fox?"

Arching her neck, Rena stared up into a pair of golden yellow eyes, beaming with child-like innocence. Standing up, she face a boy about her age, wearing black dress pants and what appeared to be a new pair of dress shoes. He also wore a faded violet red dress shirt with the collar of it, unbuttoned. His crimson red hair, which Rena knew for some reason was usually a mass and wild, was now slick back with just a hint of gel in it.

"Sorry, did I keep you waiting for long, my beautiful fox?" the boy said in somewhat innocence, yet romantic tone.

Rena always laugh when her lover uses her nickname. "No I haven't been waiting for long, my cute little lizard," she said in a lovely tone as she slipped her arms through the sleeves of her lover's crimson red sport coat. "So what are we going to see, Guil?"

The boy otherwise known as Guil smiled down at his beautiful fox and dent down to pick up the rose, Rena put down earlier. He straightened up and placed the rose in Rena's long, blonde hair, causing her to blush lightly.

"To answer your question, my beautiful fox, we're going to see that new romantic comedy movie, you have been bugging me about," Guil answered as he slipped his slightly muscular arm around Rena's shoulder, causing the former fox's blush to deepened.

The two began walking as they kicked up some small talk.

Rena let the smoothing memory of her dream slip from her mind as she opened her blue orbs and turned them towards the moon. When she first had that dream, she wanted to laugh out loud, for obvious reasons. First she knew Guilmon could never be that slick with words, like her dream vision of him, Guil. And plus Guilmon didn't know the first things about romance either.

Sighing, Rena pushed herself off the wall she had leaned up against when she started to think about that dream. She turned to her right and muttered," I have become just as lovesick as Matt." And then resumed her morning walk.

(Later...At Matt and Rena's high school)

(Author note: Okay, I really don't know much about Japan school graduation ceremony, so I'm going with how my want.)

Though school had ended about a few weeks ago, the graduating class of the year was there, waiting in the lobby, near the auditorium. The class itself was sweating because the AC system wasn't on, thus leaving the students to roast in their heavy graduating gowns.

The lineup was set up by height, starting with the tallest person going to the shortest person. Matt was man about 5 foot 10 inches, so he was in the middle of the line. But by a strange twisted of fate, Rena was about two inches shorter, then her self proclaimed, so they were right next to each other.

_How do humans survive doing this?_ Rena wondered as she tugged at the collar of her thick gown.

She looked towards her friend and wasn't surprised in the least bit that he wasn't phase by the heat. Sighing, she leaned her head against the wall and tried to forget about the heat, but heat was just too much, even for the usual unshakeable.

"Hey Rena, have you ever felt this strange feeling in your heart?" Matt asked suddenly, catching his "cousin" attention.

"What?" Rena asked, looking at Matt.

"Well, I really don't know how to say this, but it feels like something inside of my heart has just been filled," Matt said in a whispered, so only Rena heard.

"No, I never felt like that. Why are you asking?" Rena asked feeling lost by what her friend was trying to tell her.

Matt shrugged and looked towards the ceiling," Well I have been feeling like this for last half an hour and I was just wondering if you ever felt like this?"

"No I have never felt like that before," Rena said, shacking her head.

"Hmm," Matt looked at his "cousin" with his eyes for about a second before turning his eyes back to the ceiling and placed his hands behind as he leaned up against the wall. "Or maybe I just nervous or something."

"Maybe. I mean, this is an important day," Rena replied, also turning her eyes to the ceiling.

"Yeah it is, I'm just glad my grandmother is going be here to witness it," Matt said, a light smile forming on his face.

"Yeah and we have you to thank for that," Rena said, making a like light joke.

When Matt hanged his head, Rena realized she had just opened her mouth and shoved her feet into it. She knew better then anyone what Matt want through four years ago. Even though it did help to squash his anger, it still left him with emotional scars that he would never forget it. But Rena had a feeling that, Matt didn't want to forget that for the world, but it still didn't mean, it didn't hurt.

Rena put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder and said in her best voice," Hey, Matt, don't worry about things that already happened, just try to focus on the here and now."

Matt just stared at the floor for a moment, not really hearing his friend's words. But after second, he lifted his head up and dashed out a small smile. "Yeah your right, I guess I'm just nervous and this feeling I getting is just making me confused."

"Yeah that's must be it," Rena said calmly.

The two resumed their staring up at the ceiling as they fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of the waiting period. When the time came, the coordinator, a teacher in her mid 20 came out and told the kids to get ready. The kids did as they practice and in moments were heading into the auditorium. The students calmly take their seat and waited for the ceremony to begin.

The principal came up to the microphone and began speaking in her best voice," As we stand here today, ready to accent these fine, young adults into the world, we are reminded of all that these men and women had done in they years at this high school and we also must be aware of each of their own special achievement..."

Matt drowned out his principal's words as he began scanning the seats for a familiar face. His eyes landed on his grandmother, setting in the central roll right in the middle seat too. Sango had the biggest look of pride beaming on her face and tears of joys in her eyes. It did Matt's heart great, knowing that his grandmother was here to see this day.

_I'm glad you were able to see this gram, I only wish gramps was here with her,_ Matt thought to himself.

Matt let out a small gasp when he felt that feeling in his heart grow greatly. His lightening bolt tattoo also began growing a color it never had before. Looking down at his tattoo, Matt saw it growing in a color that matched his skin perfectly and he quickly covered it so no one else would see it.

_Okay, that's something new,_ Matt thought as he did a quick scan to see if anyone around him spotted his glowing tattoo. Relieved that no one saw it, he quickly began running down his list of glowing tattoo colors. He knew that his tattoo was linked to his emotions and certain colors such as red meant anger, green meant envy and etc, but what did skin color mean?

Looking back at the seats, Matt scanned the room for anything out of the ordinary and he landed on a suspicious looking person sitting on the very top roll. This person was wearing a long trench coat, a black scarf, hiding her hair, but Matt thought he saw some blonde strains hanging out from it and wearing a pair of shades, hiding her eyes from view.

Matt found himself unable to tare his eyes off of that person, as that feeling in his heart grew beyond belief. He didn't know why at the time, but he had this gut feeling that this person was something important to him. As he continued his staring, he realized that the person he was looking at was also at him; like that person was here only to see him.

"Matthew Smith? Matthew Smith!"

"Huh?" Matt looked away from the suspicious person and noticed he was next up for his diploma. He gave the principal a semi nervous smile as he got up from his seat and made his way over. He cast one last quick glaze over to where the suspicious looking person last was and found the seat emptied, but that feeling in his heart was still there.

The shadow fighter walked up to the principal and took his diploma, while shacking hands with the principal. As he returned to his seat, he couldn't help but look at his grandmother and notice that she looked more proud of him then she did five minutes ago. But still that mysterious person was on the mind of the shadow fighter.

(Later)

"I'm so proud of you, Matthew!" Sango exclaimed happily as she wrapped her grandson in loving embrace.

"I was just glad you were here to see it, gram," Matt said, fighting off the huge blush that threatened him and failing too.

"Are you blushing, Matt?" Rena asked teasingly.

"No! It just hot in here and these stupid gowns isn't really helping matter!" Matt said, coming to his defense quickly

"Right," Rena said sarcastically.

The shadow fighter glared at his friend as the blush he was fighting back fully came to the surface.

"Rena, how come I didn't see your parents there? I know you had your difference with them, but I would at least think they would have been here for their only child's graduation," Sango spoke in a sweet elderly voice as she scanned the room for anyone who resembled Rena.

"Well, actually I haven't spoken with them since I moved in with you and your grandson," Rena replied with a fake sympathetic tone and hanged her head in mock shame.

Rena knew everything she was saying was just a pack of lies, but she really had no other choice at the moment, now did she? Sango had a look of mild shock and surprised on her face, but that quickly gave away to that gently look she was known for.

She put a comforting and reassuring hand on Rena's shoulder and said," Don't look so worry about it, dear. I known pretty of good people who haven't gotten along with their parents, but you should call them sometimes, just to let them how you're doing."

"Okay," Rena replied in a mild voice and let one of her small smiles graze her lips.

Sango returned that smile ten fold and then look at her grandson. Matt had removed his grown and cape and was for some reason looking through the coward.

"Something wrong, Matthew?" Sango asked, slightly confused by her grandson suddenly behavior.

"Probably, looking for her," Rena said half teasing, half serious tone.

"Oh you mean that nice young lady who owed that cat that my grandson was taking care of?" Sango asked.

Rena nodded her head and looked at Matt. He was stilling looking through the coward and didn't show any sighs of hearing the small conversation, she and Sango just had.

"I wouldn't have realized that my grandson would developed such a crush on someone from just one meeting," Sango said lightly.

"If you only knew the truth," Rena muttered to herself.

"Did you just say something, dear?" Sango asked.

"Umm, I was saying, shouldn't we be getting going, I mean we do I these reservation, don't we?" Rena said calmly.

"Oh, yes, I have nearly forgotten about that," Sango said and then looked at her grandson. "Matthew, are you ready to go?"

Matt took one last quick look, sighed and then joined his grandmother and Rena. "Yeah we better be going before they gave away our seats." There was a level of defeat in his tone.

Then without saying another else, the group of three made their way out of the building and to a used 1989 green ford car. Matt opened the passenger front door and waited for his grandmother to settle herself in. He then hurried over to the driver side and got the keys out of his pocket as he got in. He started his car, but before driving off, took one last look at his old high school.

"I may haven't have the best of memories of this school, but it's going to be weird leaving it," Matt said with a long sigh.

He then took his car out of park and backed out. The shadow fighter took one last long look at his school before putting his car into drive and began driving out of the school grounds. They were half way out, when suddenly someone jumped right in front of the car and Matt was forced to slam on the breaks, stopping the car mere inches from hitting the person.

Inside of the car, its passengers were just recovering from the suddenly stopped. Matt lifted his head from the wheel and rubbed his sore neck. He knew he was going to feel that one in the morning, but it wasn't anything big, well not for the shadow fighter at least.

"Gram are you okay?" Matt asked as he helped his grandmother up right.

"I'm fine, Matthew. It would take more then that to start this old ticker, now," Sango said lightly. "But what about that person who ran in front of us?"

Matt's eyes widen slightly, he had forgotten all about the person who ran in front of his car. He looked down and quickly looked her over. He also relieved that the person wasn't hurt, but that soon faded when he notice that the person was the same one that was staring at him early, but now the glass on her right side was missing, giving the three in front of her a clear view of a blue eye.

Something about that one eye seemed to put Matt into a trace. Something about that blue orb was familiar to the shadow fighter. Like the eye was a gateway into the past for Matt. There was just so much familiarity in that eye that Matt was tempted to get lost in it for ages.

He then unknowingly undid his seat bolt and got out of his car. He walked up the stunted person and for the time since seeing that person realized it was a woman. Matt slowly raised his hand and touched the cheek of the person in front of him. The mysterious woman for most of her part seemed to be comfortable in Matt's presence.

She suddenly jerked away from Matt's touch and looked to her right. She then bolted in the opposite direction she was looking, leaving one confused shadow fighter before.

"Wait, don't go!" Matt shouted in a pleading voice.

A dark cloak figure suddenly ran past Matt and he got this burning feeling in the back of his neck. Matt only knew of one person who could gave him that feeling and that didn't set well with him. He went off in hot pursuit of the two without even thinking it over thoroughly.

"Matt! Wait!!" Rena's call fell onto deaf ears as Matt ran out of the campus.

_It has to be her, I sure of it now,_ Matt thought as he began scanning the area for any trace of the two mysterious people.

"Matt, what's wrong?" Rena asked as she joined her friend.

"I think that's black cloak figure was Kai." Matt answered in a firm voice.

"Kai?" Rena gasped.

Matt nodded and said," Yeah and where's there Kai, there's Rumiko." Matt said Rumiko's name softly.

"Well I don't see them now," Rena said, looking around herself.

"They must be gone now or maybe my mind was playing tricks on me," matt said, sighing in defeated a little.

Sensing Matt's pain, Rena moved closed to her friend and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it, it like you keep saying, the winds of destiny. I'm sure you'll see her soon enough."

Matt was silently looking down at the ground, slowly took in his friend's words. After a minute he looked up at Rena with an obviously forced smile and said," Yeah, you're right. Well, c'mon let get back to gram before she start to worry."

Taking one last look around, Matt sighs and began walking back to his car, hands shoved in pockets and shoulder slumped slightly. Rena made one last quick swamp of the area, looking for anything that might help her friend. She knew what Matt was going through to a certain level and wanted to help out in anyways possible.

"Be save my friend, until he's finds you again," Rena spoke to the air and then hurried to join her friend and his family.

Hidden within the shadow not to far off from the school, a single blue orb watched the boy with strangely color hair with longing. The owner of that blue eye longed for the boy who held her when she scared or when she was lonely. She longed just to be with that boy who made her heart sore higher then a hawk, but she knew, she would only be putting the one she loved in great danger and that's something she didn't want. So with a heavy heart, she tore her glare away from the shadow fighter as a single tear fell from her uncovered eye and lifted.

(...)

It has been nearly two mouths since graduation, but for Matt it seemed longer since he thought he saw the love of his life. Doing that time, he was slowly falling into a state of depression and to hide it, he was withdrawing back into his casual personality.

The shadow fighter was walking around the street, wearing his second attire of black jeans, low tops, white and back tee shirt under his black leather jacket. He only wears that attire when he felt down or out about something and right at the moment, he was feeling like gum stock to someone's shoes.

_Two mouths that's how long I have been searching for you and with each passing day, my heart crack more. It wouldn't be much longer before it breaks,_ Matt thought solemnly.

The shadow fighter was heading to local newsstand to pick up the latest issue of an auto mechanic magazine. He had only told Rumiko, about his secret passion of being an auto mechanic and at the time, knew she would keep it, partly because she couldn't talk.

Matt went up to the stand, owned by a gently old man about a couple of years younger then his grandmother and grabbed his magazine. He was about to pay for it, when something caught his eyes. He dropped the magazine in hand and snatched one of those gossip magazine teenage girls like to read. Normally Matt would stay clear of those types of thing, but the picture on the cover really caught the shadow fighter's eyes.

"Rumiko Makino," the words slipped from his lips as he eyes began widening.

"Yeah, she appeared on the fashion scene about a year ago and totally took it by storm," the stand owner said, looking up from his newspaper.

"Really?" Matt asked in shocked.

The old man nodded and said," Oh yeah and I hear she has so highly popular that every men in this city wants a piece of her."

Hearing that caused the shock look on Matt's face to turn into that of pain as a million thoughts basically ran wild in his head.

"It that...true?" Matt asked slowly.

The stand owner nodded and said," Yeah, but what I read in that magazine in your hand, that's she waiting for her black knight in shining armor. Kinda of funny when you look at it because good knight are never wear black." There was a light chuckle during the last sentence.

_Black?_ Matt eyed the hand that had his black lightening tattoo on it. He then looked at the owner and asked," Did she say anything else about her mysterious knight?"

"Uh huh. She only gave out two features about the guy," the owner said, leaning his face against his right fist and looking to his side.

"Well...what were these features?" Matt asked, a hint of nervousness working its way into his voice.

"Well it seems like our young diva had worked her spell onto another young, hasn't it?" the owner asked in a teasing manner, causing Matt to blush lightly.

"Welllllllllll..." Matt dragged out the word because his mind choose that moment to freeze up on him.

The owner shrugged off the boy's reaction and want back to reading his paper," If you really want to know, its all in the book you're holding."

"Really?" Matt asked, eyeing the magazine slyly.

"Yes, really. Now buy something before I got ticked," looking up, the stand owner saw that the boy was gone and the money for both of the magazines were on his stand.

Running like his life depended on it, Matt ducked into an empty alleyway. He quickly peeked out of the alley to make sure no one saw his little moment. Once he was sure that he was in the clear, he turned his attention to one of the paper books in his hands. Looking at the picture of the woman he loved for the past four years, he was tempted to kiss it, but quickly crushed that. He looked at the page number for the right page and quickly flipped to it. He scrolled through the page, until he came to nearly the end of the page and began reading.

"On the night of a full moon, I would become restless and unable to sleep, so on those long nights, I set and watch the moon. During those nights when the moon cast it light down onto land, I think about him, the boy who saved me in my time of need." Pausing in his reading, Matt looked towards the sky as the memory from they first meeting came rushing through his head, causing him to smile slightly. After zoning out for a minute, Matt resumed his reading.

"When I first meant him, I was scared and ran into hiding, afraid that I was going to be hurt. But then I saw his eyes and oh, what eyes they were. They had deep piercing feeling, but at the same time, could be gentle. It was those eyes that first draw me to him and I would never forget that deep piercing eyes," stopping, Matt began rubbing the spot were Rumiko had clawed him more then four years ago, the memory flesh in his mind.

Looking back at the page, he continued to read," When I was scared, he would hold tightly, when I was lonely, he would whisper soft words to me and when my worse fear came knocking at the door, he did everything in his power to help. From that day on, I felt like I was forever bonded to this person...this person with strange hair black and blonde hair and piercing violet eyes."

Tarring the page from the book, Matt closed it and tore off the cover and threw away the girly magazine into a nearby dumpster. He stared lovingly at the picture of his lover for a long moment before carefully folding up the two pages and sliding them into his jacket pocket.

_If she's willing to turn away every men who comes her way, then I can wait until the sun dies,_ Matt thought as he walked out of his hiding spot and headed for home. If he could only have known that he didn't need to wait for the sun to die, he would probably be jumping for joy right at the moment.

(Later that day)

Day turned quickly into night and most were getting ready to a good nights rest, but most just don't cut it in this city. In a lush green park, two figures moved about the trees with the speed of the demons, racing through the trees. It would appear that the one was chasing other, but one of these people knew that a trip was being set.

A figure in a dark black cloak jumped from tree to tree, while his pursuer, a girl in running clothes and a hood, covering her head, was having a somewhat harder time, but still she kept up with him nonetheless. Under his cloak, the mysterious follow was keeping his eyes on alert for something that he himself had put there early that day. When he saw the marker, he jumped from the branch he was on and spun around in the blink of an eye, sending a fireball his pursuer's way. The fireball didn't hit the girl though, but instead hit a spell trap that the cloaked figure also set up. The fireball activated the trap and it covered the tree, the girl was on, in blue magic energy. The girl jumped just as the tree vaporized. The girl had jumped just in time, but that's when the cloaked dude appeared in front of her and delivered a wind-powered kick to the girl's face. The wind magic around the cloaked figure's foot, caused his prey to go slamming in thick tree branches as she fell to the ground.

The girl groaned as she fought her way got onto her feet. The fall has caused several things to happen at once. First the hood of the woman was tore off, revealing golden blonde hair which now covered the girl's entire left side of her face. Her other side of the face was covered in blood, making his hard to see her face. Her running suit was tore in many places and her right arm was now completely useless.

"So my darling sister, what did you think of my trap?" the cloaked figure asked, his voice sounding almost machine-like.

The girl kept her mouth closed as she slowly began walking towards her opponent.

_I may only get one chance at this and I better make it count,_ she thought as she dipped her good hand into her pocket.

"Have you finally decided it was pointless to fight someone as great and as powerfully as me?" the cloaked figure boosted in that machine voice.

_Just a little closer,_ the girl thought, taking her hand out of her pocket and tightening her finger around something.

"But then again even if you have that knight you keep babbling about, you might just have a slim chance of beating me, but then again, I bet even that pathetic fighter couldn't even take me on now," the figure said, boosting some more.

"Didn't ever call him pathetic!" the girl screamed angrily and shoved her good fist into his opponent's gut.

There was a star shaped object with a white center about the size of a fist in the girl's hand. It came to live and release it magic onto the cloaked figure. Yellow light began covering the figure and he felt like his body was being erased from the plain all together.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!!" the figure screamed as he felt the magic effect begin to tare into his body.

"This is just a little gift from mom," the girl said coldly.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!" the figure screams echoed into the night as the light completely covered him and he completely disintegrated.

"Finally it's over," the girl muttered tiredly and let her arm dropped to her side.

Letting go of the now useless object, the girl grabbed her injured arm and began walking away. But unknown to the tired girl, another figure was watching from the shadows.

_It was worth all the money I paid for that clone. I had a feeling my dear mother would gave her something to help her, but now that the star magic is used up, I think it's time the real star of this show appear,_ the figure thought as he stepped into the light of the moon.

Sensing someone behind her, the girl turned around and nearly had a heart attack when she saw a flame colored haired man picking up the object she just dropped.

"I killed you?" the girl said in disbelief.

The man looked up at his prey with a sinister grin blossoming on his face.

(At Matt's house)

"I can't believe this day is finally coming," Sango said to herself in a happy, sad way.

"Gram, it's not like I getting married or anything, it just collage," Matt said in a light tone.

"Yes, but for most, seeing they babies going off to collage is a big thing and I'm no different," Sango replied in the same tone as before.

Smiling lightly to himself, Matt resumed his packing. The shadow fighter and his foxy friend were in the process of packing their perspiration for they're tripped for collage. The living room was basically stuffed with boxes of all sizes and shape.

Matt was now in process of packing the last few things lift in his room. These were the most treasure items for the shadow fighter and he was being extra carefully packing them. He had his black leather notebook that has his many poems he had written over the years. A sweatband that was given to him by his grandfather when Matt was 11 year old and many over things that was special to the shadow fighter. But what was probably the most to the shadow fighter was a picture he was currently holding.

The picture was taken about a week after Rumiko came to live with Matt, and it was one of the most memorable moments in his life. He looked down at the picture, the memory of that event clear in his mind. Matt and Rena were standing in front of the house with their fury friends with them. Rumiko was in Matt's arms and was looking up at the man instead at the camera. Rika was on Rena's right shoulder, looking bored out of her skull. And that how the picture was taken and Matt wouldn't have it any other way.

He stared at the picture for a few more minutes before putting it back in its frame and carefully setting it in the box. Getting off of his bed, he lifted his room and made his way down stairs, where Rena was waiting for him.

"Your car is filled to the mix and can I ask why we're doing this?" Rena asked, feeling somewhat tired from all the things she has been doing this day.

"Because I want to get this all out of the way so we don't have to do much but move our stuff into our dorms," Matt said as he walked pass Rena and put his box in a place far out of his grandmother way.

"Hey, Matt, wasn't your grandmother with you?" Rena asked, looking up the stairs for any sighs of the elder.

"I guess, she must have lift while I was still packing," Matt replied, joining his friend at the stairs.

Rena looked at her friend and knew what he was basically thinking, by the stare, he was casting.

"You're still worried about leaving her on along?" Rena asked, though she knew the answer already.

Nodding, Matt replied without taking his eyes off the stairs," I just feel like I shouldn't be going half way across the city is a bad move when my grandmother could be in great danger."

Rena resisted the urge to sigh as she put her hand on her friend's shoulder and said reassuringly," We already been through this and she's going be moving in with your doctor's mother, remember?"

"I know, I know, it just make me feel..." he trailed off as this strange feeling over took him. He walked over to a window and stared out of it in a traced like state

"Matt?" Rena asked when she noticed her friend's strange behavior.

She walked up to Matt, when she noticed that his lightening bolt tattoo was glowing in a color it never has before. His tattoo was growing the color of his skin, making almost invisible to the naked eye.

_What the...that never happened before._ Grabbing Matt by his shoulder, Rena lightly shook her friend as she said," Matt. Matt! Are you okay?"

"I really don't know, Rena. I suddenly feel like someone is calling me and I intend to find out who that is," Matt replied while still looking out the window.

Then before anything more could be said or done, Matt ran out the door, leaving one confused disguised fox behind.

_Now that was certainly weird,_ Rena thought as she walked over to the opened door.

"You better follow him," a soft voice caused Rena to jerk her head to her right. Sango was at the feet of the stair, looking at the opened door too. Looking at the foxy lady, she said," I have seen many things, being wife and mother to shadow fighters, but I have never seen something like that before."

Looking out the door again, Rena began thinking it over in her head. After a minute of thinking, she decided it would be best if she did go along with Matt. Looking back at the elder, Rena nodded quickly and dashed out the door much like Matt just did.

Rena caught up with Matt in a park, just as he tackled someone off somebody else. The two began rolling about as Rena watched the other person struggled to get to get her feet. Even from her distance, Rena knew that the person was in bad shape and was about to go and aid her when a thought suddenly popped into her head.

_What if this is that time when it happens? And if this is right time, maybe I just should stay out of it and let history works it fingers,_ Rena thought as she turned her attention to the others.

(Matt and our mysterious person)

Matt ran with speed that even threw him off, guided by some unseeing force. That force lidded him to a nature park and without a moment hesitation, he went in. Guiding by that strange force, he dash back into the park, where he came to a scene that caused something into of him to just snap. He watched as a stranger, wearing a hat slowly overtook a batter and bruised girl and without thinking, lung at the guy. He tackled him and the two began rolling away from the victim. The two rolled away from the victim's ear shoot and the other man's hate came off in the process. Finally the two came to a stop and jumped off each other, only to be meant with a big surprised.

"KAI?" Matt shouted when saw his old rival.

"Smith," the elemental sorcerer hissed angrily.

The two old rivals got into fighting stances at the drop of a hat and began circling around, taking in each other. Matt notice that Kai had changed quit a bit in the past four years. His once blonde hair was now either died flame colored or suck like that for some reason. He had also gained some bulk too. But he still dressed in all black and wears a trench coat.

"So, Kai, mind telling me what you did to that mass of blonde hair you had?" Matt asked coldly.

Kai frown angrily at the commit and he shouted," Shut up! It's because of you that my hair is stuck like!"

"And what does that mean?" Matt asked with no interest what so ever.

"I trained in my arts for four long years and the end results is as you see," Kai stated angrily, pointing at his hair and then at Matt. "And it's all your fault, Smith."

"Huh?" Matt made of face of mock confusion and then shrugged it off. "Hey, don't come around my home town and put the blame of something I didn't even do, on me."

"ENOUGH TALK!!" Kai screamed angrily and threw himself at him.

The evil sorcerer threw a punch and Matt easily dodged it, but that was a mistake he would live to regret. A burst of wind suddenly came off of Kai's fist and threw Matt back. The shadow fighter sled back a few inches before he crouched down and stuck his hand into the ground to stop him.

"What the..." Matt looked up at his opponent in shock and confusion.

Kai snickered as he face Matt and lifted his left fist, swirling with wind. "Oh did I forget to tell you that I also learned some fighting move and mortified them with my magic?" He asked in a smug voice.

"No, you forget that, but then again a lot, do that when I'm around," Matt replied coldly and jumped into the air.

The shadow fighter aimed a foot at Kai's face and he in response, sucked out his hand, palm out and sent another blast of wind. Matt was once again thrown back and would have slammed right into a tree if not for his quick thinking. He repositioned himself, so his feet were facing the tree and rebounded off it. He went at Kai so quick that the evil sorcerer didn't have time to act. Matt slammed right into his opponent at his chest and knocked him off of his feet. Kai landed on his back and Matt jumped off of him.

"Boy that was sure something new," Matt said to himself as he wiped the light sweat from his brow.

Suddenly roots began tarring themselves from the ground and tightened around Matt's ankles.

_Now what?_ Matt thought as he tried to pulled his legs free, only to found the roots were on to tight and weren't even bulging one bit.

Kai chuckled evilly as he got up and looked at the shadow fighter," Don't bother Smith. One of my many new powers allow me to not over control fire, but the other elements as well and when they're linked to me, they just as great and powerfully as myself."

"Well care to put your words to the test," Matt said firmly as he stood out and held out his hand with his tattoo.

"HAHAHAHA! Don't try to bluff me, Smith. I know for a fact that you can barely control that power of your, so don't make me laugh," Kai said with cocky smile.

"Once again, care to put your words to a test," Matt said firmly, wrapping his other hand around his wrist.

Kai opened his mouth to see something, when he saw Matt's tattoo flash and he closed his mouth. Matt's tattoo flashed again and this time black electricity began around Matt's hands. All the electricity converged onto his the center of his palm and lit up a small sanction of his palm. The black light grew until it covered about a quarter of Matt's palm and it began pulsing with energy just waiting to be released onto any unexpected victim.

"WHAT THE..."

"Black lightening strike!!" In a burst of light and clap of thunder, a black lightening bolt came flying out of Matt's hand and straight at Kai. Kai were able to dodged just as the black lightening hit the spot where his foot was moment before.

"How did..."

"Black lightening strike!!"

Once again, Kai barely dodged the strike and could only looked up at a person he thought he had figure, in shock and fear.

This went on for a few minutes. Matt would fire a black lightening strike and Kai would barely avoid it. By now the area around them had a few black stains on it nice lush green grass.

_When did he learn to control his powers? _Kai franticly thought as he dodged another black lightening strike. _Well at least his aim has gone down in these past years._

But what Kai did don't was that Matt was missing him on purpose, so he would lose control on the veins and they would loosen on Matt's ankles.

_Just a little more and I'll be free,_ Matt thought, casting his eyes down to the veins on his ankles and was pleased that they were nearly off.

"Black lightening strike!!"

"Aren't you getting tired of this yet, Smith?" Kai shouted as he dodged the bolt.

The evil sorcerer looked to where his opponent was trapped and got a big surprised when he saw that he was gone.

"What THE-,"

"Look behind you," a calm voice said.

Spinning on his heels, Kai looked deeply into the violet colored orbs of his opponent and everything began clear to him in that moment.

_He lured me into a trap!_ Kai screamed in his head, but then calm down when another plan began coming together. _If I can't win by one way, go for plan B._

Smirking, the evil sorcerer jumped away from his opponent and raised his arms and slightly bent them at his elbows. The areas around and inside Kai's hand began heating up as his concentrated on his primary power.

"You know what, Smith, I just remembered that I hold the key to your greatest fear in the palm of my hands," Kai said slyly as his hair started to glow and fireballs appeared in his hands.

Matt stared at his opponent with unflinching nerves as the fireballs doubted in size.

"What the matter, Smith? Fear already got a hold of you?" Kai asked with a sly grin forming.

Matt kept his silence and got into his fighting stance. Holding out his left hand, he made the gesture for "bring it on". Natural that got Kai mad and his grin gave away to an angry frown.

"SO YOU THINK YOU ALL THAT? Well then took this!!!" Wheeling his leg up like a pro pitcher does, Kai let the fireball in his right hand go.

The ball of fire soared towards Matt at blinding speed, but the shadow fighter kept his head leveled and his eyes on his objective. He then jumped off the ground and executed a spin kick, sending the fireball back at its thrower. Doing the only thing that came to his mind at the moment, Kai threw the other ball to intercept the other fireball. The two fireballs exploded in a mass of fire, blocking the fighters from view. Kai waved his hand and the fire in front of him, instantly died down, but his foe wasn't in sight.

"Looking for me?"

Spinning around, Kai was once again, staring into Matt's eyes and his fear returned, greater then ever.

_He's really is a freak now,_ Kai franticly thought, but said in a creaking voice," What are you?"

"I am nothing by a shadow destined to protect others from the shadows," Matt answered in a plain voice.

Kai stared at the man before him for a minute in fear, but that was soon replaced by anger and fury when Matt's words starting to sink in.

_This freak isn't going to win! I haven't suffered for four long years, only to have myself beating again by this freak,_ Kai angrily thought.

The evil sorcerer quickly came up with a new plan and had to resist the urge to grin in fear of giving himself away. He then quickly spun around at his heels and dashed off towards where the injured girl was. Using some wind magic to boost his speed, Kai was on top of the girl in no time and there was no sigh of Matt anywhere. He allowed that grin from early to blossom on his face, but that quickly vanished when he rimmed into something, causing him to fall float on his butt. Shacking off the blow, he looked up into the cold face of his opponent and that fear returned, only this time, it was mixed with some of his anger.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? Kai yelled angrily as he bolted to his feet and then said so only Matt could hear. "You might not even know this person."

"Because..." Matt got into a stance and stared hard at his opponent. "...Emotions like love and kindness are the power behind these fists of my!!"

The shadow fighter then went at Kai and the evil sorcerer threw a punch in fear. Matt easily ducked the punch and then executed an underhanded punch, right to Kai's stomach. The evil sorcerer let out a cry of pain and agony, as he was sent airborne. Matt heard Kai breathless chatting and a moment later saw Kai make the same exit as he did four years ago.

_It can't be her, can it?_ Matt thought as he turned to the person in front of him and began studying her.

Walking up to the girl, he tried to look at her, but she turned her head away. He tried again and again the girl turned her face away.

"Hey, why wouldn't look at me?" Matt asked in a soft tone.

"I don't want you to get hurt," the girl replied timidly.

"Hey, I can handle myself, so why don't you show your face," Matt said softly.

"No I can't, I don't want anyone else to get hurt," the girl said and turned to leave.

Feeling a bit annoyed by this girl's stubbornness, Matt gently grabbed her by the shoulders, making sure not to irritate her wounds too much. He forced her to face him, which caused her hair to fall from her face and giving Matt a clear view. Needless to say, both were surprised once they got a good look at each other's faces.

"M-M-Mathew Smith?"

"Rumiko Makino?"

Not to far off, Rena watched as the reunited lovers just stared at each other in wide-eyed shock. After a minute the shock of seeing each other seemed to wear off and the two began talking. From their expressions, Rena could tell Rumiko was worried about Kai, and Matt, being the person he is, reassured her everything was going be find now that he was here. After a while Rumiko gave up and that's when Matt's swiped her off her feet. Rumiko giggled like a schoolgirl and the lovers went off towards Rumiko's house. For some reason seeing her cursed tamer's parents reunited, renewed Rena to a certain level.

_Guilmon,_ the disguised fox thought as she looked towards the night sky. _I'll find my way back to you and then maybe we too, can share a special moment, just like Rika's parents. But for now wait and hope for my return._

With that out of her system, Rena hurried after her friends with a small smile on her face.

(...)

Rika: You know, I notice a few differences between this chapter and the flashback you gave my mother.

Me: Well I'm not one those people who remembers all the detail of his stories, so to make up for it; I put in a sort of ankle deal.

Rika: Now what does that mean, empty head?

Me: Simple when something happens from my other story; I just put Rena in it as she watching it.

Rika: But aren't you at least worried that someone would review on that.

Me (Shrugging): hey I not one these picky types and I like my review to be honest.

Rika: You're weirder then gogglehead, and that's saying something.


	10. The final Face in The Shadows

Me: Okay before I get into this chapter, I want to talk to you about something.

Rika: What are you going to tell us that, that space between your ears is growing?

Me (Throwing, Rika, an annoyed glare): No, I'm going to tell you that the collage that your daddy and your partner are going is going be nameless.

Rika: Why that?

Me: Because I really don't know about many collages in Japan and the one I do know, I don't know were they are.

Rika (Angry): You have no sense of the world, space for brains!

Me (Getting slightly ticked): Listen, you royal pain in the backside, I was stuck in special Ed for half of my school life, so pardon me if I'm a little worldly challenged and besides, I'm an apple pie man, anyways.

Rika: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Me (Hopping mad): IT MEAN I KNOW LITTLE ABOUT OUR COUNTRIES, SO SIT DOWN AND LET ME GET ON WITH THIS CHAPTER!!!

Rika (Annoyed): Okay, okay. (And sits down)

Me: That's better.

Shadows of The Past:

Chapter ten: The Final Face in The Shadows

In the halls of the local collage other wise known as Shikon Collage, the year was already under way. Many students were heading from and to classes. Among the coward was someone who stood out among the rest. He was obviously new because he had a stuffed duffle bag over his right shoulder and a suitcase by his side. He was stretching his sandy blonde hair and his deep greens eyes were staring at a sheet of paper in his hand. He was lost and the directions on the sheet of paper weren't helping him either.

"Um excise me, can you help me?" the boy asked kindly, but the one he asked just stuck up her nose and walked away.

The next person he asked cut him off by "accidentally" bumping into him and then his friend repeated what he just saw and bumped the new boy's other side. Finally three big guys bumped the new boy from behind causing him to trip over his case and fall float on his face.

_Maybe mom was right, maybe I'm just not meant for collage,_ the boy thought as he removed his legs from his case and got into a sitting position.

He reached for his paper, but a hand grabbed it before he could. Following the arm connected to the hand, the boy looked at the most beautiful face he had ever seen. The girl was about his age and had deep blue eyes in a soft face, surrounded by flowing blonde hair. The more the boy stared, the more he became ensnared in the girl's beauty and began blushing.

"Is this yours?" she asked, holding out the sheet out.

The boy's blushed deepened to a nice tomato red and he needed to look away to hide it from the pretty girl in front of him.

"Th-Thanks," the boy stammered nervously and with a trembling hand, reached out and grabbed the sheet.

He then stood up and was about to walk away when he tripped over the suitcase he forgotten about because he was so busy trying to keep his shyness from the beauty in front of him. He would have fallen float on his face again, if not for the blonde beauty catching him.

"Let me help you here," she said kindly as she helped him up.

As the girl helped the boy up, the boy blushed got deeper, if that's even possible.

"Thanks," the boy said nervously and looked away to hide his blush.

"No thanks are needed and by the way, I'm Rena Kamiya," Rena held out her hand in a friendly manner.

"Sho. Sho Nonaka," Sho said nervously and reached out with a trembling hand.

The two shared a brief shack and then Sho quickly pulled his hand away as his blush got even redder, if that was even possible.

_I just touch a girl. I just touched a girl!_ Sho kept saying in his mind as he looked at the hand he shake hands with.

Rena during this whole thing was taking in Sho at the moment. There was nothing really special about the boy that the disguised fox could see. Thin body and slightly tanned skin. He wore kaki shorts and a creamed color, short-sleeved dress shirt. His sandy blonde hair was sort of spiked and has thin bangs lined up with his eyes. His deep green eyes had this look that would make one think about a lost puppy. Not a very impress guy by anyone standards.

_So this is Rika's stepfather? Funny, I was expecting someone with a little more back bone then this,_ Rena thought, shacking her head slightly. Taking another looked at Sho, she noticed that he was looking at the sheet of paper in his hand in a confused manner and she had to resist the urge to shack her head again. _This guy reminds me more of Takato then anything else._

"Hey, Sho, wants some help with that?" she asked kindly.

Sho looked up at Rena, slightly startled and then smiled a little nervously. "S-Sure. This was suppose to help me find the dorm I'm going be in, but I can't make head or tails out of this thing."

Rena took the paper from paper from Sho, and took one looked at it.

"Well for one thing, you'll looking at this upside down," she said with a kind smile.

"Oh," Sho said and hanged his head in embarrassment.

"Hey don't worry about it," Rena said reassuringly and patted him on the shoulder. Sho had to fight another blush that was coming from Rena touching him. She turned the sheet up right and looked at it. "Well you're in luck, Sho. It seems your dorm is the same one that my cousin lives in, see it has his name on it."

Making sure not to make direct eye contact with Rena, Sho looked at the name painted on the paper.

_Matthew Smith. Huh, now where have I heard that name before?_ Sho asked himself.

"Come on, I'll take you there," Rena said kindly and want over to Sho's suitcase.

She bent down to pick up the case and Sho notice how her rear stood out, that and not to mention all the muscles that were bulging through her clothes. Sho found his blush returning ten fold and he needed to slip himself twice to insure he wouldn't get caught staring.

"Well come on," Rena said and began walking off in a boyish walk.

_Even her walk seems to put a spell on me,_ Sho thought dreamy as he followed Rena in a trace-like walk.

(With Matt)

The shadow fighter was lying on his bed, deep in thought. On the table in the small room was a sheet of paper, telling about the new roommate that Matt was going to have, but that was the least on the fighter of the shadow's mind.

"How did she know who I was by just looking at me?" He wondered to himself out loud as he turned on his side and looked out his window

It has been nearly two weeks since Matt and Rumiko was reunited and were now happily dating, but Matt still has some lingering questions in the back of his mind, mainly about his encounter with the person that's goes by the name Seiko Makino.

(Flashback)

Matt could only whistle at the sight in front him," Boy, looking at this place makes me feel like I'm in one of those old samurai movies."

"Yeah, my grandfather brought this place when my mother was kid and it's has been in the family since then," Rumiko said shyly, looking at the old style Japence house.

"Well, I'll tell you this, wildcat, seeing this house, makes me feel poor," Matt, said in lighthearted humor.

Rumiko laughed at that, but that was quickly replaced when she started to wince in pain from irritating her wounds from all of her laughter.

"Oh, I so sorry, Rumiko, I didn't mean to hurt you," Matt quickly apologized in his sincerest voice.

Rumiko laughed lightly and said," You didn't do anything, Matt, and did I tell you, you're cute when you're worried."

"No, you haven't," Matt said, blushing lightly. "Did I ever tell you that you're beautiful even when you're hurt."

"No, you haven't, but did I tell you that you're even cuter when you blush?" Rumiko asked in a flirty manner.

"Ahem, I don't mean to break this up, but shouldn't we get those wounds treated before they become infected?" Rena intervened before the two lovebirds got any more interment.

Matt and Rumiko, looked at their clearly annoyed friend and their blush went from shyness to embarrassment.

"Right," both said timidly and walked towards the fence.

Rena opened the door and Matt stepped onto the grounds. Matt felt a small tangling sensation go down his spine and he looked towards Rena to see if she felt anything, but she looked fine, so he just shrugged it off. The trio entered the house and removed their shoes at the door.

"Mom! I'm home!" Rumiko called into the house.

"I'm in the kitchen, dear!" a soft voice replied.

The trio went into the kitchen via Rumiko's instructions and was meant by Rumiko's mother. She was about a woman just reaching her 40thes and just began to show sighs of her age. She had a few thin wrinkles on her face and her deep blonde hair just had the hint of gray hairs around it. She looked up from the book she was reading and gasped lightly when she saw her daughter.

"Rumiko, don't tell me you ran into Kai again?" the woman asked worryingly as she got up and looked over her daughter

Matt set Rumiko down by the table carefully as the model said in a low tone," Yeah, I ran into him, but I used that magic you gave me and it worked too."

"Well that's a relief," Rumiko's mother said with a sigh of relief.

"Well it turns out that the guy I used your magic on was just a clone created by Kai and he got the drop on him," Rumiko said, refusing to look her mother in the eye.

"Oh my," the worry returned to the model's mother's face and she covered her mouth.

"Don't worry, ma'am, I got there before Kai could do any real harm to your daughter," Matt said, coming to Rumiko's aid immediately.

"I thank you for my heart," Rumiko's mother turned to her quests and bowed in respect.

Matt and Rena returned the bow as Rumiko introduce her friends," Mom, these are the ones who looked after me during the time I was cursed. That's Matthew Smith and his cousin, Rena Kamiya."

"Oh, so you're the one by daughter had told me about," Rumiko's mother said kindly. "Then there's no way I can show my thanks to you."

"Eh, it nothing, beside, I got all the thanks I needed," Matt said, blushing lightly.

"Hmm," Rumiko's mother stared curiously at Matt and that stare made the boy a little uneasy.

"Umm, can I ask why are you looking at me like that?" the shadow fighter asked nervously.

"Nothing, I just thinking how cute you are," the middle aged woman said lightly, which caused Matt to blush a little.

"Mother!! Rumiko yelled, which was a bad move because she irritated her wounds, causing her to wince in pain.

"Umm don't you think, you should treat your daughter before she get any worse," Rena stated calmly.

"Oh you're right, I'm so sorry, Rumiko," Rumiko's mother apologized sincerely.

"It's alright, mother, I have taken a lot worse from Kai then this," Rumiko said lightly.

Matt gasped at that piece of info and quickly asked in a cracking voice," W-W-What did he do to you?"

"Well, I been taking self defense class since returning to normal, so he didn't do much. But he did break my legs and arms a few time and I did go blind for a week," Rumiko listed these things off like they were nothing, but for Matt, it was like having a hot tipped sword was going through his heart several times.

_I should have been there; I should have kept her save, _Matt shamefully thought as he hanged his head.

"You couldn't have done anything because it wasn't your time to meet up with my daughter," Seiko said so softly that only Matt could hear.

The shadow fighter looked at the woman, slightly surprised that she was able to read him so easy and wanted to say something, but decided against it at the time.

"Now, Rumiko, let get those wounds taken care of," Seiko said and her daughter nodded her agreement. The middle aged woman held out her hand and began chatting," Oh father of the heavens, hear my plea and lend me your healing heart!"

Seiko closed her hand for a belief second and she opened it, a golden orb had materialized in it. The golden glow of the orb reached around the entire room, sending it healing powers everywhere. Seiko lowed the orb to her daughter and it entered Rumiko's body. Rumiko's injuries glowed and instantly healed up. All the blood on the model was dissolved by the healing magic, leaving the former feline like had nothing to her at all.

"You always did have healing hands, mother," Rumiko said in a light joking tone and gave her mother a smile.

Seiko returned the smile and said lightly," Your welcome, dear," she then turned serious "Now if you and Rena would please leave, I'll like to have a talk with Matthew about something...in private."

"Umm, okay," Rena complied.

"Sure, I need to change, anyways," the two blondes lifted the kitchen, leaving Matt and Seiko in an uneasy silence.

"Tea?" the middle aged woman asked.

"Sure," Matt said simple and set at the table.

Seiko fixed the tea and pooled Matt a cup. For the next for moments, the two set there, silently sipping their tea. Finally after another minute, Seiko placed her cup on the table and looked at the shadow fighter seriously.

"Can I ask how you feel when you're around my daughter?" she asked kindly.

Matt looked up at the woman for a second, thinking her question over and then looked at his half drunken cup. "Well I really don't know how to put what I'm feeling into words. But when I first glaze into her blue orbs, I felt something inside my heart jump and when I held her close, it seems like nothing else in the world matter and when I was apart for those four long years, it felt like there was a hole growing in my heart, but that's hole vanished when I saw her tonight." Sighing slightly, he took long sip from his cup.

"That's how I felt when I meant my husband and that how my mother detailed how she felt when she meant my dad," Seiko said softly, lost in a distant memory. "I know you'll make a great husband for my daughter."

When Matt heard that, he spit out his tea and jumped to his feet, embarrassment written all over his face. He began backing up as he waved his hands frantically in front of him," WOW, WOW, WOW!! I'm not ready for that kind of stuff! I'm still just a TEENAGER!!" He backed up all the way to the wall and began frantically looking for a way out.

Seiko chuckled at the scene Matt was causing and said kindly," Calm down, shadow fighter, all I want you to do is teach my daughter in your arts."

"You did you just call me?" Matt asked slowly.

"I called you shadow fighter because isn't that what you are?" Seiko asked easily.

Matt nodded his head and said somewhat uneasy," Yes, I'm a shadow fighter, but I don't think I can teach Rumiko my style because she isn't of my blood."

Seiko chuckled at this and lifted her hand up. She chatted under her breath and an orb of wind materialized in her palm. She began sending the wind towards Matt and it felt nice on his sweaty brow.

"I wasn't born an elemental sorceress like my son, but I learned, just like I know my daughter can," Seiko said seriously, closing her hand and ceasing the wind.

Matt opened his mouth to talk, but was quickly interrupted by Seiko.

"Now I'm not expecting anything great, I just want you to train her so she would be able to fight Kai a little better and who knows she might surprised you."

Matt looked a little nervous from the stare he was getting and let out a heavy sigh. He knew he wasn't going to win this battle.

"Alright, you win and if it would help Rumiko, I would jumped off a cliff," Matt said in defeat.

(End of Flashback)

"Hey did she even know I was a shadow fighter in the first place?" Matt wondered to himself.

He turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. In these past two weeks, he had begun training Rumiko and he had to admit, she was a quick learner. But his biggest surprised came when she was able to do the shadow walking technique. Thinking back of all it, Matt was really happy when he saw Rumiko smile.

"This past two weeks has been nothing but bliss for me and I hope it never changes," Matt said to himself with a smile and then he had a knock at his door. "It's opened!"

Rena stepped into the room a second later followed by a boy with a lovesick expression all over his face. Matt jumped off of his bed and walked up to the boy.

"Hi, you must be Sho nonaka," Matt said friendly and held out his hand in greeting.

Sho snapped out of his daze and quickly shack hands," And you're Matthew Smith."

"Yeah that's me and let me help you with your bags," Matt said as he took the suitcase from Rena.

"This isn't much," Sho said to himself as he looked around the room.

There wasn't really much to the room. There were two beds to his right and a deck design so two could work at it at the same time. Next to the door was a dresser with a small TV on it.

"Hey it isn't much, but its grow on you after some time," Matt said lightly as he set the case on the empty bed opposite of his.

"So do you want a tour of the collage?" Rena asked kindly.

Sho nodded his head in that dazed way again, but before they could head out, there was a knock at the door. The three looked towards the door and Sho saw a woman, who in his options was better then Rena. This new girl also had blonde hair, but her eyes were lighter then Rena's. Though she was wearing causal clothes, but Sho still saw a goddess. Just looking at her, Sho completely forget about Rena and was only focus on the goddess in front of him.

"Hey Rumiko, what brings you here?" Matt asked really happy.

"Do I need a reason to see you?" Rumiko said in a fake pout.

Matt chuckled slightly as he walked over to Rumiko and said," No you don't, but I'm glad when you show up." Then they shared a quick greeting kiss.

When the two pulled apart, Rumiko giggled lightly and said," Oh, Matt, if you not carefully, you'll crush your new roommate's welcome gift."

Matt grinned and looked at the plate of brownie in his girlfriend's hands. He leaned down and inhaled a good whiff of the brownies. "They smell good."

Rumiko giggled at her boyfriend as she moved around him and walked up to the desk. She set the plate down on it and turned to Sho.

"Hi, I'm Rumiko Makino," Rumiko said cheerfully and held out her hand in a friendly greeting.

Sho was still in shock from seeing this goddess being kissed, but he quickly shook it off and gripped Rumiko's hand, taking it how soft it felt.

"I'm, Nonaka Sho, no I mean, I'm Nho Sonaka, No. What I what I mean is..."

"He's Sho Nonaka," Matt said lightly as he wrapped his arm around his new roommate. "And he seems to go weak at the knees when he's in the same room as a soon to be famous model."

Sho hanged his head as a shy and embarrassed blush spread from cheek to cheek. "Yeah, what he said."

"Ohh, don't let my boyfriend get to you, he's make it a habit of getting on people's nerves," Rumiko said playfully, batting her eyes at said boyfriend.

"I never done anything like that in my life," Matt said, joining in the game.

Sho's face fell as he watched these two engaged in light, playful humor. He knew right at that moment that Rumiko was already taken and he seriously doubted he could take Matt in a fight.

"Well, come on, let eat these brownies, so we can get to Sho around the place," Matt said lightly and dragged Sho playfully to where the plate of brownies lay.

_Maybe I not meant for collage as I thought I was,_ Sho thought a little sadly as he took a brownie and began eating, watching as the three people around began talking, trying to get to know Sho better.

(That night)

Sho lay on his back, unable to get to sleep. His bed was lumpy and there was the fact that he was unable to get to sleep in a strange bed wasn't helping any bit either. He turned to the outside of his bed and saw his new roommate sleeping in almost peaceful bliss.

_Geese, how can he sleep on these things?_ Sho wondered to himself as he watched his roommate sleep.

Turning around, so his back was facing the shadow fighter, Sho tried to get comfortable enough to get some sleep, but the bed was just to lumpy and with the uneasy feeling of the new room, he just couldn't sleep.

"Screw this, maybe a walk would help," Sho said to himself and got out of bed.

He put on the same clothes he wore early in the day and softly walked to the door. He opened it carefully and lifted the room just as carefully. He was unaware that someone had awoken when he felt Sho moving and had watched him without his knowing.

Sho decided to head down to the lobby and to get something to drink. During that time he was in deep thought about a few things.

_Rumiko is clearly in love with Matt and the same goes for him. Hmm I wonder if Rena's single,_ Sho thought as he walked down the hallway.

He rounded the corner and was grabbed by someone. He was thrown against the wall and got a good look at his attacker. There were three of them, each a giant in they own way. The one holding him was bulky and about 6 feet and some inches tall. The one to his right was chucky and shorter then his friend. The final one was the shortest of them all and was the one with less muscle, but Sho got the feeling that he was the ringleader of these bullies. And it was also clear to Sho, that they played a spot of some sort because all them were shaved bold.

"You new around him?" the short one asked a cold voice.

Sho nodded his head quit timidly; he didn't trust his words at the moment.

"Well then listen," the short one said. "There are a few rules you need to follow if you don't want to go home, crying. Rule number one: my boyz and me run this place when night comes. Anyone who's found wondering around during our time needs to pay a price. Rule number two: no one is supposed to touch my soda machine. Anyone who tries to touch it found out the hard way why I'm the quarterback of the football team. And the final rule is no one and I mean no one gets in my way or else.

"Or else what?" Sho asked, gulping down his own spit.

"Trust me, you don't want to find out what I do to people who cross me," the short one said, grinning like the devil.

"Really? Well then tell me what you do to people who cross you?" a voice asked casually.

The bullies and Sho wiped their head to their right and saw Matt, standing at the edge of the corner of the opposite wall.

"Smith," the short one said calmly, but there was a touch of fear in the boy's stone colored eyes. "What do you want?"

"Eh, I just thought about getting myself a soda when I heard you giving my new roommate a lecture and I was curious as to what you do to those who cross you," Matt answered casually.

The two larger bullies looked between Sho and Matt twice in fear before sitting Sho down gently. Sho watched in confusion as the two larger bullies began slowly backing up, obviously afraid of the smaller boy, but why?

"One of these days, Smith, you're going to get what coming to you," the short boy said angrily and then motioned his boys to followed him.

Sho watched as the bullies lifted, the two larger ones making sure to stay clear of Matt's way as they walked by him.

The shadow fighter sighed and said," I really wish people like that would learn," he then turned to Sho with light smile. "So you want a drink on me before we head back."

"Sure," Sho said slowly.

Matt walked up to the machine and popped some money into it.

"Say what you want?" Matt asked.

"Umm, a coke would do," Sho, answered hesitantly

"Coming up!" Matt said and pressed a button.

Once he had both drinks, he tossed to Sho and he caught it was great accurateness. Matt ached an eyebrow at that, but shrugged it off for the time being. The two then walked up to their dorm with an uneasy silence in the air. When they returned to their dorm, Sho finally gathered enough courage to ask Matt something.

"Say, Matt, why where those three so afraid of you when they clearly had the edge?" Sho asked hesitantly.

Matt chuckled at that question and replied," Those three pulled the same stunt me on, but they didn't know what hit them and just between you and me, I was the reason they shaved their heads."

"Huh?" Sho looked up at Matt, clearly not understanding what he was being told.

Matt saw this and smiled lightly," C'mon, let have a seat and I'll tell you why they fear me so much."

Sho nodded, clearly still confused by all this. The two walked over to their beds and set their drinks on the nightstand. Matt jumped onto his bed and got into an Indian style sitting position, while Sho sat on the edge of his bed.

"Well to start things off, my family has their own style of fighting and I have been trained in that style since I was five," Matt said and Sho nodded, telling him to go on. "Well when those three cornered me, they give me the rundown, but they were surprised when I don't bow down at their feet. So of course that got them mad and they tried to "teach me a lesson" as they put it, but with one kick to the head, each were out and in need of a new hairdo."

Sho looked away from his new friend and began thinking. A smile appeared on his face as a mental image of Matt's story took shape in his head.

"So, Sho, on a lighter note, did you take any type of sports while you'll in school?" Matt asked friendly.

Sho looked up at the shadow fighter, the smile on his face disappearing. He hanged his head as bed memories began rushing back to him.

"Hey, Sho, are you okay?" Matt asked in concern when he sees he friend's behavior.

"Yeah I'm fine, just bad memories," Sho muttered solemnly.

"Well if you don't want to talk about, I wouldn't push you," Matt said lightly. "I mean I have my share of bad times too. So I'll give you a piece of advice. Don't keep those bad times locked up forever because they would get out sooner then you think."

Sho looked up at his friend for a moment as he thought over his words. After a minute, he sighed and hanged his head again.

"When I was just a kid, maybe about 12, that gang, the Thunder Splats moved into my neighborhood and took it over."

"I didn't know that?" Matt said, a hint of worry in his voice.

"No one did," Sho muttered. "Some say that the leader of the Thunder Splats had somehow gotten this hands onto a big wig of the city and was controlling him from the shadows."

"I remember hearing that when the gang was finally taken down," Matt said slowly.

"Yeah, but that's not the point I getting at," Sho said in a normal voice, looking up at Matt. Matt waited patiently for his friend to continue with his story. Sho hanged his head again as more bad memories of his childhood came back to him.

"For two years, my family and I lived in fear of those jerks, but it was my mother that was the most afraid. She was so terrified about it that, she made my sister and myself take self-defense classes."

"So if that's true then why didn't you take those guys by yourself?" Matt asked out of curiosity.

Sighing, Sho pulled up the sleeve of his cream-colored tee shirt and showed Matt a scar that run across his forearm.

"I got cocky and fought with a Thunder Splat when he bulled a friend from school and as you can, it didn't work out like I hope it would," Sighing, Sho pulled down his sleeve and grabbed his drink.

"Well it looks bad, but I don't see why that would take you from fighting?" Matt said looking at his friend in confusion.

Sho took a long sip from his soda before answering," After that point, I freeze when it comes to fighting. I owe a lot to whoever defeated the leader of the Thunder Splats."

"Hmm," Matt fell onto his bed and turned onto his back. "Yugi Thunder was one of the toughest opponent I have meant during my youth. He's found a way into my head and nearly won, but at the least moment I pulled myself together and beat him."

Sho could only stared at his roommate in complete shock. He pointed at his roommate with a trembling hand and stammered," Y-Y-You beat Thunder, but then that would be you're..."

"...Black lightening? Oh yeah," Matt said, grinning slightly and showing off his tattoo. "And trust me on this, this is the real deal."

Sho couldn't believe this at all. His roommate was also the person he thought he owed his life too. It was just too much for one person to take in, lucky Matt seemed to notice this and act on it.

"Hey man, don't worry about anything, I fought Thunder because I was mad at something I did, but it worked out in the end," Matt said casually.

"But still I want to thanks you in any way possible," Sho said in gratitude.

"Hey like I said before, think nothing of it," Matt said, waving his hand. "But if you want too, you can come with Rena, Rumiko and me when we trained tomorrow."

"Umm, sure," Sho said hesitantly.

"That's great," Matt said happily and looked at his clock. "Well we have an early day, so let turn in."

Sho nodded his agreement and the two finished off their drinks. They then throw them in the trashcan by the door and get into their beds. Matt immediately fell back to sleep, while Sho lay awake, thinking about a few things.

"Matthew Smith, black lightening. I feel like I owe you something that I may never pay back," the sandy blonde said to himself before rolling over and going to sleep.

(Next day...afternoon)

Rena sat in her last class of the day, bored out of her skull. It was advance mathematic class and the teacher was giving a lecture of how to solve a complex problem he had written on the broad. Rena had solved the problem in a matter of minutes, but for the others who were still working on it and didn't know how to solved it, got the lecture from the teacher.

_And here I thought high school was boring,_ the disguised fox thought with a sigh and rested her head on her hand.

In the past weeks, since starting collage, the former digimon had changed her attire slightly. She still wears the same shoes, tied dyed jeans and matching vest, but now she wore a long sleeve short. The body of the shirt was white and still have the Japans symbol of time on it and the sleeve were purple. What must didn't see was the hood the shirt had. That because Rena had changed her hair slightly so the hood was hidden from view and it that hood that Rika spent most of her time in, either sleeping or watching Rena.

"If you can't solve this problem, then none of you devise to be in collage," the teacher said forcefully.

"And I thought people in my school were tough," Rika whispered into her humanoid partner's ear.

"Well this is collage," Rena whispered back.

"Is there anyone in the entire class that can solve this simple problem?" the teacher asked angrily.

"Haven't that guy ever heard about anger management?" Rika asked sarcastically.

Rena allowed a small smile to appear on her face as she turned her attention to the teacher. He seemed to be getting more edgy with each missing minute.

"Well, I'm waiting," the teacher said demandingly and began tipping his foot.

Somewhere in the back of the class, someone raised his or her hand and the teacher saw it.

"Yes you, come down and show these kids how to solve this problem!" the teacher exclaimed and pointed at the hand.

The person, who the hand belonged to, got up and shyly made his way to the front of the class. From her hiding spot, Rika looked at the boy with sandy blonde hair with a feeling that she knew him.

"Hey, Renamon, is that guy new?" Rika asked.

"Yeah, he just started the other day," Rena answered and then one of her small smiles appeared on her face. "Why, do he look familiar to you."

"Well he looks like someone I knew, but I can't really place the face," Rika answered in slight doubt.

"Well that's because he's Sho Nonaka, your stepfather," Rena told her cursed tamer.

Rika's larger violet colored eyes widened as she looked at the boy who would became her stepfather. Memories began rushing back to her at an alarming rate. Most were good and would have caused the flame colored fox to smile if that one terrible memory hadn't decided to rear it ugly head. As the cursed tamer watched as her so to be stepfather walked up to the board and began solving the problem, she just kept seeing the image of her stepfather's lifeless body being held by her crying mother and she could feel the tears swallowing up.

Rena sensed her cursed tamer's sadness and acted before anything could happen. She placed her hand in her hair and made it look like she was fixing it out of boredom when in reality she was comforting her friend.

"Hey, remember he saved you by his own choice," the disguised fox said, trying to reassured her cursed tamer.

Rika nodded and willed her tears away. She knew it was useless to cry over something, but she couldn't help it when she looks at the face of her future stepfather.

Sho had finished the complex problem in a matter of minutes, leaving the class slightly surprised. The teacher looked over the problem and slightly impressed that it was corrected.

"Well it's looks like someone among this sick sack of potatoes was actually paying attention," the teacher said cruelly, but before he could continue, the bell rang.

_Glad that's over,_ Rena thought in relief as she gathered her things and made her to the exit, where Sho was waiting.

"Umm say Rena, I was just umm, wondering if," Sho felt really nervous and was having a hard time just chocking out his words.

"Don't worry about it," Rena said casually. "Matt already told me this morning."

"Oh, I see," Sho, said lowly and looked towards the ground.

Rena had to smile slightly as this boy's shyly and patted his shoulder reassuringly," Hey, like I said, don't worry about it. Now come on, we practice in the gym."

"Okay," Sho said with a sigh and followed Rena out of the room.

The two walked to the gym in silence. Sho wanted to start up a conversation, but he has a habit to say something wrong and that had resulted in some bad things happening, namely him getting a hand to his cheek.

"So, Sho, Matt's told me you lived in a neighborhood that was run by the Thunder Splat," Rena said lightly.

"Yeah and trust me it was no walk in the park," Sho muttered, turning his head so he didn't have to look Rena in the eye.

"Yeah, I might know what you went through and I wouldn't want you to get through any bad memories because of me," Rena said reassuringly.

"Thank you," Sho muttered and gave Rena a weak smile.

Rena returned that smile only much more softer and the two resumed their silent walking. After two minutes of walking, Sho was able to gather enough courage to talk to Rena.

"So Rena, mind telling me a little about black Lighting?" Sho asked slowly.

"Black lightening?" Rena thought that over for a second and it hit her who Sho was talking about. "Oh you mean Matt. Well he's a fun guy to be around by his does his moments."

"Do you think I could even be like him?" Sho asked embarrassingly.

"Hmm," Rena looked at Sho with a sense of understanding. She knew more then anyone else what it meant to try and began something and pains one must endure to reach such heights. "Well Matt had hard life, probably harder then the one you lived. In the end that helped shape the person, Matt is today. Oh look, we're here."

Sho was so engrossed into the conversation, that he didn't notice that they had arrived at the gym until Rena said something.

"Well let get change so we can join the action," Rena said, showing just a hint of eagerness in her voice.

"Well I don't really have a outfit to work out in," Sho admitted embarrassingly and looked towards the ground.

Rena smiled lightly and patted Sho on the back," Hey don't worry about it, I'm sure Matt will be more then happy to lore you some of his clothes. So how about you wait in the gym while I'm get change, I think Matt and Rumiko are already going at it."

Sho looked at Rena and nodded quickly. They then want their separate ways with Rena heading to the locker rooms to change and Sho stepping into the gym. The second he stepped into the large room, he heard the sounds of battle and fist a flying. Sho looked towards the area were a ring was set up for karate practice and saw something that he wouldn't have ever except in his lifetime.

Rumiko was locked in a fierce headlock by her boyfriend. This shocked Sho naturally, and was about to voice his concern when suddenly; Rumiko leaned forward and tossed Matt onto the mat. She then twisted herself around her boyfriend's arm and fall onto the mat, taking Matt's arm with it.

Sho winced at that little move. He knew from personal experience how painful that maneuver could be, but at the same time, was a little surprised to his hero struggling to break free from his opponent's hold. He watched in suspense for Matt's next move.

Matt was thinking of way to get out of this seemingly perfect move, while trying to ignore the pain shooting through his arm. He looked at his girlfriend with his eyes and were impressed that she was trying so hard to beat him, even though this was just a simple scarring match.

_She put her mind to everything she tries and I know the reason for that too. But still I can't let her win this fight so easily,_ With that thought aside, he resumed his pondering of how to escape his girlfriend's clutches.

The shadow fighter came up with an escape plan about a minute later and he grinned foolish. He rolled onto his side just enough so he wouldn't injured himself and executed his plan. He carefully reached out his free hand and touched the section were the thigh meant the waist and began tickling his girlfriend. Rumiko tried to hold in the laughing fit that was coming, but when Matt picked up his monition, the model couldn't hold it in any longer. She break out into her fit and let go of Matt's hand. Matt instantly stopped his tickling assault on his girlfriend and jumped to his feet. He began stretching his arm to work out the tension as Rumiko got up herself, still giggling slightly.

"That's wasn't fair," she tried to say seriously, but a trace of playfully was in her voice.

"Oh and wigging your hair in my face so I would sneeze was playing fair?" Matt asked, throwing a playful grin Rumiko's way.

Rumiko put her hands on her hips in a threatening manner and said playfully," oh really, then you wouldn't mind if I do this..." She then tackled her boyfriend and began dashing out the same torment that he just gave her.

From the sidelines, Sho watched the entire thing in confusion. His shoulder were slumped and his arms hanging from his sides.

_Okay, first they were in a deadlock and now they're just playing around,_ Sho thought in disbelief as he watched the two play around more.

"There's always do this, they fight serious for about 15 to 20 minutes and then they just play around," Rena said calmly from Sho's side, scaring the poor boy.

"AAAHHH!!" Sho cried out and fell onto his butt.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that," Rena apologized and offered her hand to Sho.

Sho hesitantly reached for Rena's hand and blush fiercely when his hand toughed Rena's. The disguised fox helped the boy up. They were too close for Sho comfort and he quick put his distance before them, which ended up with him falling on his ram again.

From her hiding place in Rena's hair, Rika watch her stepfather making a fool out of himself. But seeing all of this, just remained the cursed tamer of her secret love, waiting for her back in her own time.

_Gogglehead, are you thinking about me right now as I'm thinking about you? _Rika wondered.

In the ring, Matt and Rumiko had stopped they playing and were now watching Sho make a complete fool of himself.

"They make a cute couple, don't you think so, Matt?" Rumiko asked her boyfriend.

"Yeah, but Rena's heart has already taken and I think she's long for her heart's stealer," Matt said lightly and jumped out of the ring, leaving behind his confused girlfriend. "Yo, Sho! I'll let you use one of my spare workout suits and then we get fighting."

"Umm, sure. Lid the way," Sho said hesitantly and then the two walked out of the gym and into the changing rooms.

A minute later, the shadow fighter and his roommate were in the ring, preparing for their sparring match. Sho was dressed in a white and black training martial art uniform, while Matt was dressed in his normal workout attire, except his jacket was at the ringside. Rumiko, Rena, and Rika, still hidden, were all watching for the sidelines, eager to see what Sho had to offer.

Since he was still pretty limber from his workout with his girlfriend, Matt waited patiently for Sho to finish his warm up stretches. Once he was done, he got into a typical fighting stance, but everyone watching him, noticed the cold sweat running down his face and that he was trembling slightly.

"Hey man, don't be so tight. I mean this is a simple sparring match, right?" Matt said casually.

Sho gulped and stammered," R-R-Right."

Matt sighed and needed to resist the urged to shake his head. He still could remember when he was like his roommate, but at that time, he was just a boy about five or six year of age, so it was understandable at the time.

Matt sighed again and got into his family classic fighting stance. He then threw himself at Sho and threw a punch. The sandy blonde gasped and ducked the punch in fear. He then by reflects threw an uppercut. Matt bent his back to avoid the attack and then kicked Sho in the jaw lightly. Matt turned his kick into a back flip and got some distance from his opponent.

"That wasn't to bad, Sho. But if you weren't so afraid, you might have actually had hit me," Matt said complementally as he wiped his chain.

Sho got into a sitting position and rubbed his sore jaw. "I know, I know. But I just can't help myself. Anytime I fight, all I can think about is that moment when I was-"

"You know, Sho, my grandfather once said to me that we all have something we're afraid of, but it's only when we let that fear hold us back, then we're truly afraid...of ourselves," Matt said in a low and mysterious voice.

Sho looked up at his roommate and idol and for the first time, saw a person was truly behind him in many things. To him, Matt was nothing short of a god and him was nothing but a mortal.

Sighing, Sho hanged his head and asked solemnly," So what do you think of me."

"Hmm," Matt walked over to his roommate and offered his hand. Sho looked at the hand and then at Matt in confusion. "To tell you, the truth, Sho, I don't know what to think of you yet, but I do knew this. You have a fire in your eyes that is just begging to come out, so how about you get up and let get back to our spar."

Sho stared at Matt with the eyes of a lost puppy for a second before sighing and grabbing Matt's hand. The shadow fighter helped his roommate to his feet and gave him a reassuring smile. Sho returned that smile weakly and then the two roommates prepared to resumed their spar.

(Some time later)

Sho watched shock and awe as the two pure blonde fought against each other with blinding speed. Rumiko jumped behind her opponent, grabbing her arms in the process and twisted them behind her. Rena tried to break free of Rumiko's hold, but found the model's grab to be too strong. So she decided to try a move Matt had done on her many time in a similar satiations.

The disguised fox pushed off the ground and threw all of her weight onto her opponent. But unlike the times when Matt used this move on Rena, Rumiko was able to roll with it. She twisted herself around and it resulted in Rena taking Rumiko's weight instead of the other way around.

"OWWW, that had to sting," Matt said, closing his left eye.

"Say Matt, can I ask you something?" Sho asked hesitantly.

"Sure, buddy, what's on your mind?" Matt asked without turning his attention away from his female friends.

"Isn't Rumiko, an up and coming model?" Sho asked as he turned his eyes back to the fight.

"Uh huh," Matt said. "What about it?"

"Well I was just wondering why she's taking such a big risk with all of this fighting?" Sho asked as he watched Rena scored a directed uppercut to her opponent.

Matt looked at his roommate with a soft smile and patted him on the back, playfully as he said," Don't worry about it bud. I got this medical that has been in my family for years that works wonders and Rumiko's mother got such healing hands, you'll swear it was magic."

Sho looked at his friend/roommate a little disbelieving, but shrugged it off and said carelessly," If you say so."

Matt's smile turned into a grin and he looked back to ring. He then cried to the two blondes," Hey Rena! Rumiko! Let take a break and get something to eat."

When Matt asked his question, Rumiko had Rena's face pressed against the mat of the ring. The two instantly dropped they fight when the question was ask and Rumiko helped her friend to her feet. The two then jumped out of the ring and walked up to their males' companions.

"So, whose turn is it to get the snacks?" Rumiko asked lightly.

"Umm, I can do it?" Sho said meekly as he raised his hand slightly.

"You sure, buddy, I mean it would be no skin off my nose if I do it," Matt said casually.

"I'm sure of it," Sho said hesitantly. "So if you gave me the money, I would be more happy to do it."

The three experienced fighters exchanged questioning glazes, but soon nodded in approver and grabbed their training jackets. Sho began collecting the money as he also got what his friends wanted for a snake.

"I'll take a root beer and a candy bar."

"A cherry energy drink and a energy bar."

"Just a diet soda for me, thank you."

"So let me get this straight. Matt wants a root beer and candy bar. Rena wants a cherry energy drink and energy bar. And a diet soda for Rumiko."

The three nodded once and Sho returned the nod," Okay, so I'll be back in a flash." He then hurried out of the gym as his three friends began idol chitchat.

_I don't belong with those guys,_ Sho thought sadly as he popped the money into the drink machine. _They're all so much better then me in a lot of things and I'll probably slow them down. "Sigh" sometimes I wish I never was born._

Sho grabbed the drinks and then moved onto the candy machines. Luck apparently wasn't through the sandy blonde at the time because those bullies from last night choose that time to enter the lobby, looking for anyone to pick on. The leader of the group smiled when he spotted Sho at the candy machine and silently moved behind the boy.

Sho got all of his friend's snacks and turned around to leave, only to have his face meet with someone's stomach. He pulled his face from the stomach and looked at its owner. Sho's eyes widen in fear when he realized it was one of the bullies from last night. He quickly looked around and saw all of his exits blocked by the bully's friends and he dropped his stuff. He began backing up as the bullies began closing in on him and he backed himself into the candy machine.

"Hey, don't worry, boy, we just want to talk," the leader said lowly and grinned an evil grin.

(With the shadow fighter and his friends)

While the girls talked about nothing in practically, Matt kept casting his eyes on the door, expecting to see his roommate and new buddy to come with it at any time. But as time slowly stretch into five minutes, the shadow fighter starting to grow concern about Sho.

"Hey guys. Shouldn't Sho have been back by now?" Matt asked, interrupting his friends' girly talk.

The girls looked at him and began thinking. It was Rena who was the first to speak.

"You'll right, it didn't take that long for someone to get snacks," Rena said, showing concern on her face.

"Do, you think something happened to him?" Rumiko asked, worried for her new friend.

"Well, there's only one way to found out," Matt said, standing.

The shadow fighter's female companions got the drift and nodded their agreement. Rena and Rumiko got off the bench they were using for seats and lifted the gym. They walked to the lobby and came upon a shocking sight. Sho was in a fight against the leader of a group of bullies and the two larger ones were making sure, that the blonde didn't have a means of escape. Rena and Rumiko began slightly angry by this and were about to help when Matt held out his arms in front of his female friends, stopping them before they could do anything.

"Matt, what are you doing?" Rena exclaimed in a calm manner.

"Yes, shouldn't we help Sho?" Rumiko asked, getting worried that her new friend might get hurt.

"Listen, I'm all for helping, Sho, but I think we should let him fight his own battle," Matt replied calmly.

"What does that mean?" Rena asked, an edge working it way into her voice.

"You know what I'm saying, Rena. But if things get to heavy, we step in," Matt said seriously. "But I have a feeling Sho, might just surprised us."

"Huh?" the two blondes looked at their friend like he gone crazy or something and then at each other, hoping to find an answer. When that didn't work, they shrugged a little worryingly and turned back to the fight, hoping their friend would be all right.

Sho took a punch on the jaw, causing him to go trembling backwards into another bully. The bully pushed him back into the center of the circle where his leader was eagerly waiting.

"So, you're ready to throw in the towel?" the bully asked cockily.

"N-No," Sho stammered and took up his stance, but his entire body was trembling in fear.

"HA! HA! You actually think you can take the quarterback of the football team," the guy said coldly and grinned. "Then think again."

Then before Sho could blink, the quarterback had tackled him to the ground and was repeating beating his face. From the sidelines, Matt was holding his friends back from jumping in, but at the same time, restringing himself from also jumping in.

"Do...you...think...your...special, just because you in the same dorm as Smith? Well think again and let hope this remains you of your place!" the bully screamed as he continued to ruthless beating on Sho.

As Sho lay there, taking the beating, memories of his childhood kept playing in his head like bad movies. He remembered the time the Thunder Splats moved into his neighborhood and threatened his mother. He remembered when his mother argued with the gangsters and the end result was his mother taking a beat, leaving her with a terrible scar on her lift cheek. He remembered when a Thunder Splat scared him witless and caused him to lose the rent money for his apartment. But the most painful memory Sho had was the time when he fought against a Thunder Splat member and gotten a broken arm and a reminded for it too. All of the boy's anger that he kept pushed down finally came out and his eyes lost their focus.

"No more," he whispered.

"What was that punk?" the bully exclaimed.

"I said...NO MORE!!" Sho balled his hand into a fist and threw it at his opponent jaw.

The bully was thrown off of Sho, but kept his footing and rubbed his jaw in surprised. Sho got to his feet and looked at the bully with eyes that looked like they had the devil in them. With the shock of what just happened, settling, the bully grew mad at Sho.

"So, you think you all that!!" the bully screamed angrily and threw a punch.

Sho easily ducked the punch and threw his own punch. The fist meant with the bully's face and sent him flying into a wall, knocking him out instantly. The two other bullies were greatly surprised by this, but quickly got over it when they saw the shape of the leader and the tallest one lunged for Sho. Sho responded to this by quickly turning on his heels and throwing his fist into the tall one's gut. Sho pulled his fist free and took a step back as the bully sunk to his knees and held his stomach as he groan in pain. The chucky bully was somewhat smart and decided to hightail it before he ended up like his friends.

Matt whistle slightly as he and the girls walked up to Sho. "I have to say, buddy, you did a good job, but did you have to go so rough?" he asked lightly.

Sho snapped his head towards his friends and got ready to attack them. The three immediately came to a stop and tensed up at the look Sho was giving them.

"Umm, Matt, why is Sho looking at us?" Rumiko asked nervously.

"I'll have to say Sho's not with it at the moment and could be a danger to us all," Matt replied quit calmly.

"So how do we snapped Sho out of it?" Rena asked, a hint of nervousness working its way into her calm voice.

"Well, I only know one thing that might work," Matt said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Then without saying another word, he went into the belly of the beast, despite all the protest for his friends. The shadow fight calmly walked up to his friend and Sho threw a punch, aimed right at his friend's head. Matt easily dodged the punch and then tipped Sho on the head, causing the angered boy to lose his balance and fall. That snapped Sho back to reality and he looked up at Matt, lost.

"Matt?" Sho asked slowly. "What happened?"

The shadow fighter smiled as he helped the warily boy to his feet. "Well let just say, you take your first step in becoming the real you."

Sho warily looked at the two bullied and then at Matt," Did I do this?"

Matt nodded and said with a smile," Yeah, but don't worry about a thing, buddy. These guys would be fine with some time. So how about we collected our things and get back to the gym to practice a little more?"

The other just nodded and got their snacks. They lifted the lobby, unaware that someone was watching the group from the shadows with hateful eyes.

"Soon Smith. Very soon, you'll pay for what you done to me," the owner of the eyes said coldly as he slipped from the room silently.

(...)

Rika (Angry): I THOUGHT YOU SAID, YOU" WERE GOING TO LEAVE YOUR STUPID COLLAGE NAMELESS!

Me: Actually I said that, so I didn't have to deal with you yelling in my ear about how I was just being a stupid copycat.

Rika: WELL YOU ARE A COPYCAT!! YOU KNOW SHIKON COLLAGE HAS BEEN USED IN OTHER FANFICTION!!

Me: IT'S JUST A NAME AND SO IT HAS NO TRUE MEANING, OKAY?

Rika: Well I don't like it, but I'll have to go along with it.

Me: Okay.


	11. Many Surprises in The Shadows

Me: Well everyone this story is coming to a close. Just this chapter and the one following it and then I can move on.

Rika (Throwing her fist into the air): Yessssss! With this stupid story out of the way, spaces for brains can get his butt working on his other story and I can finally get out of that crump body he shoved him in.

Me: Hey, when you're in my corner, you're the same annoying self.

Rika: Yeah, well I'm sick and tired of being shoved into that little body when you start your story.

Me (Ginning slyly): oh, would you just come off of your high horse, already.

Rika (Glaring): And just what does that mean, space for brains?

Me: Everyone knows you just want this story over, so you can be with your precious, brown skin gogglehead.

Rika (Blushing fiercely): NO! I just getting sick of tire of looking at that sorry excise you call a face.

Me (Grinning more): Really? Then it must be the heat in here that making your face redder then Guilmon.

Rika (Face getting more redder): Well you just can it and start typing.

Me (Sly grin turning into a victory smile): Anything for you, you royal pain in the backside.

Shadows of the Past:

Chapter 11: Many Surprises in the Shadows.

(Matt's P.O.V.)

In life there's a chain that's bonds everything together. But there's one place were this chain is most visible and that place is called many things, but it maiden name is school.

(Normal P.O.V.)

In the halls of Shikon collage, a shakedown was already in progress. A jock threw a skinny boy against a wall and demanded his money. The boy was naturally afraid of his captor because of his larger size and was too scared to even think of doing what he was told.

(Matt's P.OV.)

When you first start school that chain is so visible that no one really cares about it. They're just children with the sense of adventure and are excited to meet new friends. But like anything, the passing of time causes to things to change and that chain, that was once so clear and bright, starts to blur and disappears from sight.

(Normal P.O.V.)

Others students on the campus saw what were going down, but most didn't act because they were afraid of being the bully's next victim. The bully was starting to get annoyed with his prey slowness and as insurance, threatened him. That snapped the boy into action and reached for his wallet.

(Matt's P.O.V.)

The chain starts to blur when the children moved out of their first year of school and continuing to blur all the way up to Junior High. Its when people enter Junior high that chain had blurred so much that it almost impossible to see. So to make up for not being able to see that chain, students began making their own chains and thus this is where the social leader that would stay with someone all the way through high school and possibly beyond is created.

(Normal P.O.V.)

A group of gasps echoed through the hallway and students began making room from three very unique people. The center man has a casual walk and kept his hand shoved in his pockets, and yet his eyes were always looking forward like he was expecting something to happen at any moment. The blonde hair girl to his right walked with the pose and grace of a fox and yet her blue eyes were like a storm just waiting to erupt at any second. The final member of this little trio didn't have anything to noticeable, but there still was something there, that made him seem more then normal.

The trio walked up the bully and the lid man tipped him on the shoulder. The bully turned his head fiercely, ready to rip a new one to whoever get in the way of his business. But when he saw the trio, his eyes lost all viciousness and he dropped the boy.

(Matt's P.O.V.)

These new chains, that the student body creates are very different then the chain of a small child and it all strains from the very top chain. This chain, which creates the others, is known as popularity. From this one alone, other chain are spawned, lower then below this chain known as popularity.

The chain next to popularity is the jock chain. This chain is composed of all the kids who play spots and are the only one the popular kids even consider hanging out with.

Below that chain is the bully chain. Bullies are those big kids, who don't like to play spots, but used their mass as a form of fear and used it to control the other smaller kids in the school.

The next chain is the normal chain. In this chain is where all the normal people are. It's those kids that long to be in the spot light and would do anything and I mean anything to be among the popular kids. They would even change who they are just so the could hang out with the in coward.

The next chain is a mix chain. It's the chain of freaks, geeks and dorks. These are the people who the popular like to make fun of the most, mainly because these people don't like most of the things that the popular people do and the popular don't think that's very cool.

The final chain is probably the one the best suited me for most of my high school life. This chain is other wise know as the outsider chain. The outsiders are people who don't fit in anywhere; you know the ones that don't even get notices by the other people, even the teachers don't notice an outsider. But an outsider may in the near future be someone important or powerful.

For the longest time, I was at a boarder between the bully chain and the outsider chain. Because of my hard life, I just wanted to be left alone to think, but they didn't even do that. So when I had enough, I began misusing my family fighting style and I had to admit, it felt good. Then my grandmother had her heart attack and I nearly lost her. So from that day on, I kept from fighting in school, which gave the other touch guys a reason to pick on me. I blocked it out to the best of my power, but when I finally had enough, luck was with me and I meant a gang called Thunder Splats and decided to take my anger out on them. From that day forward, I resumed by bullying, but this time it was on a much larger scale and in the end it nearly cost me dearly. But then again if I haven't fight the Thunder Splats, I probably would have never meant the one person who taught me so much.

It was that person with her flowing blonde hair and soft blue eyes that got me thinking about others then myself. When she was scared, I held her tight to my being. When she was sad, I would talk to her about nothing and she would lighten up. And when I nearly lost her four years ago, I cried for the first time in ages and that when I realized that I loved her with all of my might and I never wanted to gave her up ever again.

If it wasn't for that person, Rumiko Makino, I probably weren't even be in collage at this very moment, with my two very best friends, thinking of my wildcat or would I be standing up for someone I didn't even know.

(Normal P.O.V.)

"I hope, you weren't doing anything to that boy, there?" Matt asked in a casual voice and pointed at a blonde kid with sliver eyes.

"No, of course not, Smith. This poor boy tripped and I help him up, but I guess I don't know my own strength," the bully lied very calmly, but the fear was clear in his eyes.

Matt looked towards the kid for a quick second and then back at the bully, giving him a stare that clearly said, 'I don't believe you'. The bully broke into a cold sweat from that stare and bolted before anything could happen to him.

Matt watched as the bully ran scared down the hallway and sighed as he looked towards the blonde haired boy. Rena was helping the boy to his feet, but he shacking a bit, a clear sigh that this boy had his first encountered with a bully.

"You going to be alright man?" the shadow fighter asked kindly.

"Y-Yes! I just can't believe I would finally meet you," the boy answered in a cracking voice.

"Huh, I don't think we have meant," Matt said, titling his head in confusion.

"Well we have never really meant before, but you save me and my grandfather, four years ago," the boy said.

"Hmm," Matt thought about it for a second and a light bulb lit up over his head. "Ohhh! I remember now! You were the kid with the puppy!"

"Yeah, yeah, that's was me," the boy said, getting existed a little and held out his hand. "I'm Mitsuo Yamaki."

"Mathew Smith, nice to meet you," Matt grabbed Yamaki's hand and the two shared a greeting shack.

As the two-shacked hands, Rena looked at the Yamaki in complete shock.

_So I was right. This is the boy who would grow up and became the head of Hypnos. Hard to believe that this meek boy would grow up to became the hater of all digimon,_ Rena thought as she watched Matt and Yamaki stopped their shake.

Sho tipped Rena lightly on the shoulder and whispered in the former digimon's ear. "Hey, Rena, what's going on?"

"I'll tell you later," Rena whispered back.

Sho nodded his agreement and turned his attention back to his friend and the bully victim.

"So, Monuson, mind telling me what you do around here?" Matt asked casually.

"Well, I worked in the tech program on the campus, and I always keep myself busy with project after project," Mitsuo answered happily.

"So that's why I never seen you around the lobbies," Matt said.

Yamaki just nodded and bent down and began collecting his things that he lost when the bully grabbed him. Matt also bent down to help Yamaki gathered his things. Once all of Yamaki's things were collected, the group set out for their next class, which just happen to be in the same direction.

"So, Mitsuo, mind telling me, why you picked this collage?" Rena asked, trying to sound causal.

"Well actually I heard this was the collage that those master programmers were enrolled in and I wanted to get some advise from them," Yamaki said and then sighed disappointingly. "But sadly when I got here, I learn that they all had moved on for some reason."

_Hmm, I wonder could he be talking about the future monster markers?_ Rena wondered to herself.

"So, Mitsuo, its sounds like you want to be a computer programmer," Sho asked out of slight curiosity

Yamaki nodded his had eagerly and said," Oh, yes, it has been a dream of my for years."

_If that's true, then why are you the head of grovement folded organizion in the future? _Rena wanted to ask him, but she reframed from it, knowing it was a bad call doing it.

"Oh, look we're at my class," Yamaki said suddenly, snapping Rena out of her thoughts.

The trio looked up at the room marked, A3, but let it slid from their minds.

"So, I guess we'll let you be on your way, we need to get to our classes anywhere," Matt said casually.

"Okay, but before I go, I'll like to say something to you Matthew Smith," the sliver eyed boy said seriously.

"Shoot, man, I'm right here," Matt answered and gave a light shrug of the shoulders.

"I feel like I owe you my life and I want to repay it," Yamaki said in a low serious tone.

"Hmm," Matt turned his head to the right and began thinking about it. A shadow of a grin formed on his face as he looked at Yamaki. "Keep that in that back of your mind, I may call that favor in one day."

With that out of the way, the trio headed on to their own classes, leaving a slightly confused Yamaki behind. As Rena walked to her class, thoughts were racing in her head.

_I can use the favor Yamaki owes to Matt, to get him to help us. Finally this trip to the past has helped out in same ways,_ Rena thought as she inched the back of her neck. What the disguised fox didn't know was that three of the numbers on that backwards clock tattoo had lit up and were now giving off a small tangling sensation.

(Later...At Sho and Matt's dorm)

"So let me get this straight, you never been to a night club before?" Sho asked as he slipped on a shirt.

"Well, I never really thought much about those type of places and beside, it's not a night club, it one of those teens hangs outs. You know, were teens such as ourselves get together and have a good time," Matt answered without taking his attention away from the tact at hand.

"Yeah, but I'll bet there would be some drinking going on in there, you know there always is," Sho said with a hint of mischievousness working its way into his voice.

"If there is, I sure going to stay away from it. I'm just going there to have a good time with Rumiko," Matt said, looking at his buddy and roommate with a piercing glare.

"I know that man," Sho said easily. "But I'm also saying everyone try a beer at least once before they turn 21. I'll bet Rumiko or Rena-"

"Stop right there!" Matt exclaimed in a calm voice, startling his roommate and pointing at him. "You have only known Rumiko and Rena for two mouths, while I have known them for more then four years, so don't think you know them more then I do."

"Okay, okay, man. No need to get up tight with me, all I was going to say is ever though two might try some drinking tonight that all," Sho said calmly, waving off Matt's outburst like it was nothing.

In the past two mouths, since starting to hang out with Matt and his female friends, Sho was starting to emerge from his shell. He now can talk to the others a whole lot easier then before and his fighting has improved to the point that he could take on Rena, if she goes easy on him.

After a minute of staring at his roommate, Matt relaxed and sighed. "Listen buddy, I hear what you're saying, but I just don't feel like making any more mistakes in my life. I made enough of them as there is." He muttered that last part, so Sho wouldn't hear him.

"Hey I know what you're saying to, guess I'm just existed that's all," Sho admitted with a light shrug of his shoulders.

"That's okay man," Matt said and then wanted back to prepare for the night out.

He was about to put his black and blonde hair into it usual ponytail when he thought about something. He titled his head to his side in wonder and then began rummaging through his drawer. He pulled out an old baseball cap and put it on backwards.

"So, tell me what you think, bud?" Matt asked, turning to Sho for his word.

The sandy blonde looked up from his own preparation and began looking over his friend. The shadow fighter had ditched his normal attire for a completely new look. Instead of his navy blue jeans, he was wearing his black jeans and had chain in his right pocket. His normal white t-shirt was replaced with one of his muscle shirts and a cargo style vest was in place of his trademark black jacket. He wore fingerless gloves and the right glove had a section of it cut away, showing his family's crest. He still wore his normal sneakers. And to top everything off, his hair was down and a red baseball cap was over it.

Sho could over whistled at his friend's appearance," Wow, man. If I didn't know any better, I'll swear you were a gangster."

"Do I really look like that?" Matt asked in slight doubt, casting his eyes towards the full body mirror located in the closet.

"Yeah, but it's a good way. Now what about me?" Sho got off of his bed and presented himself.

Matt made a nervous expression at his friend's choose of clothing. He wore a pair of navy blue jeans with a red stripe down each side of his legs, which hanged on his hips. His sneakers were black with a blue stripes across them. He has borrowed one of Matt's muscle shirts and he had tucked it in poorly. He wore a sliver bracelet, but it was a little big on him and hanged off of his wrist. The final touch was a due rug that Sho had rolled up and tied around his head. He had lift some of it unrolled just enough so a shadow was cast over his left eye. It wasn't really a bad look, but for some reason, it didn't seem to work for Sho.

"Is it really that bad?" Sho asked, noticing the look on Matt's face.

Matt sighed and said," I'm not going to lie to you, buddy. The clothes look okay, but they just don't seemed to look good on you."

"Oh I see," Sho said quietly and hanged his head.

Matt smiled at his friend and walked up to him. He patted Sho on the shoulder as he said," Hey, don't worry about it, bud, I just might some something that would go great with your look."

He then walked over to the closet and grabbed something from it. "Catch, bud!" And threw his leather jacket.

Sho got the jacket and stared at in shock. He looked at Matt, like he wanted to say something, but he couldn't make any words come out. Lucky Matt sensed his roommate's shock and acted on it.

"Hey man, its always been okay if you wanted to borrow my jacket," He said and then reached out and grabbed his trademark black jacket.

Still unable to form words, Sho just nodded his head slowly and slipped on the leather jacket. Since Matt was about two inches taller then Sho, the jacket sleeves were up to the center of Sho's hands, but he corrected this by rolling them up. He walked over to the mirror and Matt got out of the way as he finished tying his jacket around his waist.

"Man! Now I look like a gangster!" Sho exclaimed and posed like a ripper.

"To bad nobody would take you seriously," Matt said in lighthearted humor and massed with his friend's hair. "Now c'mon, I don't want to keep the girls waiting and it's a long drive to Rumiko's place." He then turned towards the door.

"Don't you mean you didn't want to keep your wildcat waiting?" Sho asked with a mischievous smile forming on his lips.

Matt looked at his friend with a sharp glare, but Sho didn't mass the light blush spreading cheek to cheek. Matt pointed at his friend/roommate and said in a sickly calm voice," Don't you go there bud. Just don't go there."

He then walked out of the dorm without another word, leaving behind a slightly startled Sho. Once the shock settled in, he couldn't help but grin a little.

"Right, buddy, I bet, you're just dieing to see what she's wearing," Sho said to himself as he walked out the door and closed up behind him.

(Rumiko's house)

"So, you're telling me, you have never worn a dress before?" Rumiko asked calmly as she stroke Rika's fur.

"Well when you're traveling, dresses are the least thing on your mind!" Rena answered as she rummaged through Rumiko's closet.

"Oh I see," Rumiko said and looked down at Rika.

The two pure blondes were also preparing for the night on the town and Rena was busy looking through Rumiko's vast closet for something that suited where they were going and also wasn't to reveling for her tastes. Rumiko was already dress in a causal one-piece violet colored dress with tree panels on it. She also had a vest at her side and there were rose shaped earrings in her ears. She just a touch of markup, giving her face an extra shine to it and her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail that rested against her chest.

The model began scratching under Rika's bully, causing the cursed tamer from the future to roll over onto her back, so her mother to be didn't have a hard time reaching that area, plus the fact that it felt good was a little added bonus. While Rumiko was rubbing Rika's bully, she was pondering a few things to herself. After a short period, she decided on something and looked up at Rena's back.

"Rena, I don't mean to be nosy, but why did you became a drifter in the first place?" the model asked in her best sincerest voice.

Rena stopped her rummaging and looked over her right shoulder. She looked at Rumiko and sighed, she knew this question would come up one of these days and were prepared for it.

"Well my father was a man who was very tight when it came to certain things," Rena said, resuming her rummaging. "He's was always trying to groom me into his view of the prefect little lady and it drove me up a wall."

From her spot on her future mother's lap, Rika side every vibrating as she kept her laughter from exploding out of her. The curse tamer knew her humanoid partner was basically taking a page from her own life, but she was just changing a few things around, so it didn't sound like she was just copying Rika herself.

"So, you basically didn't like how your father was treating you?" Rumiko asked in slight curiosity.

"Well I put up with it for a while, but when he told me about an arrange marriage, I snapped and hit the road," Rena said, without turning away from her rummaging.

"If I had a child I would never do something like that to her," Rumiko said softly, looking at the fox-like creature in her lap.

Rika frown and looked at her mother a little sadly. She was almost tempted to come out and say something, thinking it may just change a few things in the future. But she knew that if she blew her cover, it could be ever more dangerous then the D-reaper attacks.

Rumiko notice the look on the flame colored fox face and said," What's the matter Rika? Am I doing something wrong?"

Rika realized what she was doing looked a little suspicious and forced herself to relax into her future mother's lap. Rumiko smiled at the little fox and then back at Rena, her smile disappearing in an instant.

"Rena, I don't mean to sound nosy...again, but Matt's always keep saying you have someone special...is it true?"

Rena stopped her tact and looked at Rumiko, slightly startled by the question. But after a moment, she relaxed and sighed.

"Yeah, there's someone very special waiting for me." Rena was rushed with memories of her special crimson lizard/dinosaur and it was a little depressing, so to take her mind off of it, she went back to looking for attire for the night.

"Don't you ever miss him?" Rumiko asked in a soft sad voice. "Because I know when I was always from Matt, every day felt like a hundred years and every step felt like I was walking a thousands miles."

Rena stopped her rummaging for the second time that evening and hanged her head as her grip tightened on one of Rumiko's shirt. If was to put what she was feeling in words, she would say this. She felt like every minute she's away from Guilmon, the lonelier she becomes. As every day passes, a hole grows in her heart and every time she thinks about him, that hole makes her heart ache. That's what the disguised fox was feeling at this very moment, but she wouldn't allow herself to say it out loud.

"To tell you that truth, I miss Guil greatly, but if I contact him in anyways, I run the risk of letting my father knew where I am and I'm not ready to face him yet," Rena felt dirty and I mean dirty. She just told the biggest lie to a close friend of her and what made it worse was she accepted it. "Listen if we kept this going, I'll never going to get ready."

Though she couldn't see her friend, she knew Rumiko nodded her head solemnly. Letting out a solemn sigh, the former digimon once again resumed her rummaging.

Finally Rena was able to find suitable clothes to wear and were now waiting in the kitchen for the boys. The clothes Rena had picked out for herself seemed to suit her really well. She was wearing a yellow Damien shirk and her trademark vest. Her blue shirt was sleeveless and it showed her bully bottom. She wore her normal shoes, but this time, she wore black socks. A sliver bracelet hanged off of her left hand and a matching necklace hanged around her neck. Finally to touch things off, Rena wore a pair of Rumiko's old snapped up earrings that were shaped like diamonds.

"Thank you again for watching Rika," Rena said to Rumiko's mother and bowed slightly.

"It's not a problem, dear," Seiko said, smiling up at Rena and then looked down at the sleeping fox on her lap. "I actually miss having a little companion around the house. But I do have to say, her fur is so smooth and sulky, kinda remains of Rumiko's fur. I always tried to keep it nice and clear just in case she meets that certain someone."

"Mother, please," Rumiko muttered and blushing in embarrassment.

Luckily, the doorbell rang, saving the model from any further embarrassing stories. Like lightening, Rumiko was out of the kitchen and at the door. Rena stayed behind to bow one last time at Rumiko's mother and then slowly walked to the door. When she got there, she saw the future parents of her tamer, staring at each other in shock. She also noticed a small lure of drool running down the right corner of Matt's mouth.

Rena shacked her head as she walked up to her friend's side and looked towards Sho. Sho returned the looked and mouthed," they're hopeless." Rena nodded her agreement and then lightly slapped Rumiko on the back of the head. Sho repeated the same thing with Matt, snapping both of them out of their dazed.

"C'mon! The night is still young and we have no classes tomorrow, so I'm feel in the mood for some dancing!" Sho exclaimed cheerfully.

"Right, dancing," Matt, muttered slowly as the group made their way to Matt's car.

(...)

At the local teen nightclub name the Digital Cloak, many teens were dancing to the latest music, or just hanging around with their friends. Among the many teens on the dance floor, one stood out among the rest. Rumiko danced with the grace of a jungle cat. Her hips swing with the beat of the magic and she kept up with all the latest dance steps, making any woman envy of her and every man want to be with her.

At a table close to the dance floor, Matt watched Rumiko dancing, feeling lift out. It was probably one of the most embarrassing secrets in the shadow fighter's life. Matt didn't know how to dance and couldn't do it even if his life depended on it. It sometimes drove Matt crazy, knowing that he was probably one of the best martial artists in all of Japan and yet he always found himself tripping over his own feet when it came to dancing.

_How I wish I could be out there with you, wildcat, but I don't want to make a fool out of myself or to embarrass you,_ Matt thought solemnly with a heavy sigh.

Far out of the hearing ranch of the shadow fighter, two certain blonde haired people were deep into scheming something. Rena and Sho hid themselves among the cowards, so they would be out of Matt's sights, but still close enough to see him.

"So, Rena mind telling why we needed to come to this place to get our little payback?" Sho asked and then taking a sip from his soda.

"Well, he thinks I don't know, but I know that Matt can't dance, even a little," Rena whispered, a small grin forming on her lips.

When he heard that, Sho nearly chocked on his soda. He couched a few time from having his soda go down rough.

"WHAT!!!" Sho looked at Rena like she was crazy.

"Shh!" Rena quickly covered her friend's mouth and did a quick scan to see if anyone noticed Sho's little outburst. Satisfied that no one seemed to noticed Sho little moment, she removed her hand from Sho's mouth and said," Yes, he can't dance. I spied on him once when he was trying to learn how to dance and he kept tripping over his own feet."

A little giggle escaped Rena as she told Sho this little tale. The sandy blonde could only look at the pure blonde in complete shock. After the shock started to settled in, Sho found his voice.

"Wow. I mean wow. Here I used to think Matt could do anything," Sho said, more to himself then Rena.

"When it comes to fighting, he's the best, but dancing is another matter," Rena replied, a hint of mischievousness working it way into her voice.

Sho put his hand to his chin and began thinking. He wanted to get back at Matt for that little joke he played on him two weeks ago and what better way to do it then in a place full of people, but Rumiko was another matter.

"Are you sure about this?" the sandy blonde asked doubtfully.

"Oh trust me, he can handle a little embarrassment and beside, I choose this place because I know no one from school hangs out here," Rena said, sounding sure of herself.

Sho thought about it some more and decided that his pure blonde friend would do it weather he helps or not. Some another a minute of debiting, he made his decision.

"Okay, okay, Rena. I'm in, but if Matt catches us, I wasn't part of any of this," Sho said and sighed a bit.

"Oh, don't worry, Sho, I'm sure he would be thanking us when is over," Rena said, a big grin on her face.

Sho made a face at Rena's grin, but soon sighed and said," Okay, lay your plan on me."

Rena grinned more as she leaned forward and whispered her plan.

(With Matt)

"Hmm, haven't seen Sho or Rena since we got here," Matt said to himself, looking around the place. "I just hope Sho gotten over that little joke I played on him."

About two weeks ago, Sho was doing some late night cramping for a test he had the next day and he had asked Matt to wake him up early. Well that proven to be a chore, because Sho refused to get up. Well after trying for about five minutes, the shadow fighter got slight bit anger and decided to play a joke to get his roommate up. So he went to the lunchroom and got a big bunch of ice.

First he put a cub on Sho's head and turned up the heat in the room to it max. When the cube began melting, Sho just wiped the water off of his face and knocked the cube from his forehead. But when that happened, Matt would just put another two on his roommate's forehead. But when that proved useless, Matt just threw the bucket of watery ice onto Sho, walking the boy in an instant. Matt just smiled when Sho gave him any annoyed look and said," Hey you ask me to wake you up and I always keep my promises."

Matt chuckled at the memory and mutter," Well he asked for it."

Suddenly the magic cutout and was replaced by the voice of the DJ," Listen up, y'all! We have a special request for a slow sing! So if anyone of you hip teens are with someone special, hook up with them nowwwwww!"

The slow sing began playing and couples began pairing up and dancing. Matt watched from his table as couples danced, feeling both envious and annoyed at the same time.

_Well that's answer my question,_ the shadow fighter thought. _But how did he know I couldn't dance?_

"MATT!!" a bubbly voice pierced through the loud music filling the place.

Looking towards the dancing floor, Matt saw his wildcat running towards him. Even now, she moved like an angel with the way her hips move and how her ponytail flow behind her or that's how Matt saw it and he never wanted it to change.

Rumiko ran up to Matt, grabbed his arm and said excitedly," C'mon, Matt! Let hit the floor!"

Matt refused to look Rumiko in the eye as he muttered," I really don't want too."

"Huh? Why not?" Rumiko asked, taking her boyfriend's chin on her hand and forcing him to look at her.

"Well, I'm umm, what I mean is umm," Matt looked away for a quick second and when he looked back at his girlfriend, noticed that she was giving him the puppy eyes.

The shadow fighter wanted to run right at the moment. He could feel his cheeks heating up and just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Rumiko knows Matt couldn't hold back the puppy eyes for long and were using them to get him to dance with her.

After looking around for any type of escape and finding none, Matt sigh in defeat and looked Rumiko direct in the eye and said," I'm not going to lie to you, Wildcat, but I have a confession to make." He looked down at his table to hide his reddening cheeks.

"Yeah, Matt what is it?" Rumiko asked softly.

Sighing again, Matt looked up at her girlfriend and said in a almost frightened tone," Well...I...can't...dance."

With that out of the way, the shadow fighter hanged his head and covered it with his arms. He could feel his entire face blushing a nice apple red.

Rumiko looked at her embarrassed boyfriend as the gears in her head worked overtime. A small smile began blossoming as an idea began taking shape in the model's head.

"Hey is that all, well that nothing," Rumiko said sincerely, putting her boyfriend on the back.

Matt looked up form his arm and asked in a semi doubtful voice," It is?"

"Hmm hum," Rumiko said, nodding lightly. "Yeah, I took lessons before I was cursed, so I can teach you some. So lets go!"

She then yanked Matt out of his seat and onto the dance floor before he could even says a word. Rumiko lid them to the center of the floor, where everyone could see and began telling Matt what needed to be done.

"Okay, first put your right hand on my hip," Rumiko said softly.

Matt gulped slightly as he did what he was told. He could fee the softness of Rumiko's skin through her dress and it made the shadow fighter blush worse then before.

"Now take me other hand in your." Rumiko held up her hand and Matt hesitantly took it.

"O-O-Okay, now what?" Matt asked nervously as he blush got worse.

"Now comes a thing you taught me," Rumiko said with a kind smile. When she saw her boyfriend's confused look, she decided it would be best just to tell him what need to be done. "Okay, just follow the rhythm of the music. Just think about it as a kind of training."

Matt just nodded his head meekly and began dancing with Rumiko. Well lets just say when it comes to fighting, the shadow fighter is the king, but dancing, he's the fool. He stepped on his girlfriend's feet at least three times. But after a short period, he was in rhythm of the music and Rumiko and he was gliding across the dance floor. When the slow sing was done, the pair began dashing out flesh moves by turning some of there fighting moves into dance steps.

From the table area, Rena and Sho watched as their friends showed up the others dancers. The sandy blonde was wearing a disappointment expression, while Rena was happy, but wasn't showing it.

"While that didn't work," Sho said.

"Oh, I don't know, Sho. If you ask me, it worked like a charm," Rena allowed a small smile to blossom as she watched her friends out on the floor.

"Huh?" Sho made a confused face at Rena's words, but it want unnoticed by Rena.

The disguised fox full attention was on the dancing couple. She was pride that she had helped in getting her tamer's parents together and she didn't even had any linger doubt that she might had actually alter the course of history.

Rena felt that itch on the back of her neck from early flare up again and she itched it without even thinking. When she removed her hand, her tattoo clock came into view. More of the numbers had lit up; making half of the clock glowed blue now.

(Later)

After Rumiko and Matt were done dancing, Sho began bugging his friends about trying some boobs and after much headache, they gave in, but in one condition. They would pick a person to be the designated driver and to decide who it would be, they came up with a game, and Matt called slip hand.

The game want like this; the gang would place a hand in the center of their circle and the first one to have his or her hand covered by their friends, would be the loser. If Sho knew what was in store for him, he probably would have suggested a different game.

The friends all put their hands in the center and cast their eyes around. If Sho didn't know better, he would have swore everyone was giving him the evil eye.

"Okay, we go on my mark," Matt said calmly, looking at each of his friends. Each nodded their readiness and Matt returned the nods. "Ready. Set. GO!"

In one quick motion, three hands moved on another. Rena's hand clapped over Sho's first, then Matt followed and Rumiko was the final one place her hand in the pile.

Sho blinked twice. It happened so fast; he didn't know it had happened until it was over. He looked down at the hands and blinked again.

"What just happened?" he asked, looking at his friends in confusion.

"Well buddy, Rena pinned your hand first, then I pinned her hand and finally, Rumiko pinned all of our hands," Matt said in a light humorous tone as he and the other removed their hands from Sho.

The sandy blonde hair sighed in defeated and lowed his head. "So I guess, we're not drinking."

"Oh, no, you got us all rived up for this, so we're doing it, you just not doing it with us," Matt said, allowing a teasing grin to spread across his face.

"Great, just great," Sho muttered then sighed.

The group walked up to bar and Matt asked the guy there, where under age kids such as themselves could get a drink? The bartender just looked at the group and with a light shrugged, pulled out four bottles of boobs. Matt then said that Sho wasn't having any and the bartender just shrugged again as he put the other bottle back into it hiding spot. Sho watched disappointingly as he friends took their first drink of boobs, all making a face at the awful taste.

(Later)

After they got used to the taste, they want wild and got drunk. Sho had to listen to their drunken babble during the drive back. He was tempted to go to Rumiko's house, but decided against it when he remembered that the model's mother wasn't in the best shape and didn't want to wake up the woman, so he decided just to head back to the dorm.

"Well I have been fighting for all of my life, so I had a touching life then you did," Matt said in a drunken voice and hiccupped.

"If you forgotten, I was a cat for a year. Try not being able to do anything on your own and then talk to me about touch lives," Rumiko said.

"Hey, I'm a digital fox from the future, so I had the hardest, trying to adjust to living a human life," Rena babbled.

_Man, when these three tire out?_ Sho wondered, shaking his head.

The sandy blonde had to listen to their drunken babble from the club all the way back to the dorm and it was getting tiring. At first it was amusing, but after a while, the three fighters were just fighting over nothing and now there were trying to beat the other by saying they had a tougher life then the other.

The three drunken warriors were all bunched together and were wobbling back and forth. Sho was in front of them, keeping an eye out incase they fall. Rumiko was in the center, while Matt was to the right and Rena on her left.

_And what's with Rena, saying she's a digital fox from the future. Now that's just weird, but it would probably make a good story,_ Sho thought as he watched his friends wobble to the dorm.

"Well I watched my parents die when I was five, so take that!" Matt exclaimed, jerking his occupied left hand at his friends.

"Well I have a magical impaired mother, so take that!" Rumiko exclaimed, splitting slightly in Matt's face.

"Well I'm a digital fox from the future, so take that!!" Rena screamed at the top of her lungs.

It seems even in a drunken state, Rena still retained enough of her common sense to mask some of her secrets and besides who would believe a drunk?

Sho sighed in relief when he saw the door to the dorm coming up. He opened the door and said in almost too happy voice," Okay now here you guys go. Go to bed and get plenty of rest."

"You're not sleeping with us, Sho?" Rumiko asked in a drunken happy voice.

"Are you kidding me?" Sho exclaimed in near hysteria and then said in a much calmer voice. "I really don't want to sleep in the same room as some drunks, so Rena you can have my bed."

"You sure, buddy, I might even let you have a drink of my last boob," Matt said happily, waving the bottle in front of Sho's face.

Sho sighed and snatched the bottle out of Matt's hand before he could act.

"I'm sure and I think you had enough for one night," the sandy blonde said in a tired voice. "But I would say this, I want all of you drunks on your best behavior, got it?"

Though he addressed it to all of his friends, his eyes never lifted the couple. The three drunks nodded their heads and Sho sigh again; feeling like something bad was going happen. He turned around and began walked away, that feeling never leaving him.

The three drunks just shrugged off their friend's warning and entered the dorm. Rena went for Sho's bed and instantly nodded off to sleep once her head touched the pillow. Matt and Rumiko on the other hand, were a little different. The shadow fighter threw his girlfriend onto his bed and got on top on her.

"Now that we're along, let have some fun," Matt said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Rumiko let out a drunken giggle and said," Oh Matt, I never know you could be such an animal."

Matt just grinned and then the two began making out. If a certain disguised fox wasn't so fast asleep, she would have noticed that itching returning to the back of her neck nor did anyone notice the glow emanating from behind the fox's back.

(Author's note: Okay, if anyone reading this, would know, this is a low ranted fiction, so I'm not going to deep with this above love scene, but anyone would know where I'm going with this.)

(Two weeks later)

The early morning sun cost it glow through window on the Matt's side of the room. The light shined onto Sho's thinking face. The sandy blonde was currently doing a last minute check on a paper he needed to hand in for one of his afternoon classes. He was making sure to see that it didn't have any flaws lift in it.

Matt just entered dorm, drying his dump black and yellow hair. He just returned from his morning shower and was wearing nothing by his black boxers, and black under shirt. Sho did a quick small glaze at his friend as slipped on his usual tee shirt. The sandy blonde still wonder from time to time, why all of his clothes, except his tee shirt was bark.

Matt slipped on his pants and shoes and grabbed his trademark jacket. He walked over to the desk his friend was sitting at.

"Whatcha doing bud?" Matt asked in a friendly voice.

"Just proof reading my paper for my history class," Sho answered lazily.

"Again? Buddy, you need to lighten up on the whole perfection thing," Matt said in lighthearted humor.

"And you need to take your work a little more serious," Sho replied, throwing a teasing grin at his friend.

Matt just shrugged and said easily," Well we're both different people."

"Sure," Sho said, not really hearing what his roommate said.

Matt just shrugged his shoulder again and threw his jacket over his head. As he was slipping on the black clothing, a small black box fell from one of the jacket's pocket. The box landed with a thud, drawing Sho's attention from his paper and to where the box was. Curious, the sandy blonde bent down and picked it up.

"Umm, Sho, that's nothing so why don't you just give it to me," Matt said, getting nervous for some reason.

Hearing his friend's nervous voice just egged Sho on more. He reached out and grabbed the lid.

"Hey man, I'm being serious here!" Matt screamed, anger mixing with his nervousness.

"Why Matt, got something you don't want to show the class?" Sho asked slyly with a grin.

"Uhhhh," Matt anger was lost and he blushed a deep red color.

Sho took advantage of his friend's distraction and opened the box. The sandy blonde was surprised to see the most beautiful engagement ring he had ever laid his eyes on. The band of the ring was solid gold, not that painted gold coloring. The jewel on the ring was this rare violet color and with the sun's rays on it, it glowed in almost magical way.

Sho slowly looked up at his friend, his eyes wide in shock as he realized what this all meant. "Matt, you aren't planning-"

The shadow fighter snatched the box out Sho's hand in the blink of an eye and closed it as he placed it back into his pocket.

"Yeah, I'm planning on asking for Rumiko's hand," Matt mumbled, his blush deepening. "I have been thinking about it for a while."

"But Matt didn't you think, you're rushing into things?" Sho asked doubtfully. "I mean you two have only been dating for two mouths."

"I know, I know," Matt said, taking his seat at the deck. "But when I with her, I feel like nothing is wrong. Like all the pain I have felt over the years isn't even there and when we're apart, there's this pain in my heart that feel worse then when I witness my own family burned to death."

"Huh," Sho looked at his roommate and for the first time, saw he deep Matt's feeling was for his girlfriend.

"But I'm starting to have my doubts and my wildcat haven't come around here for nearly two weeks," Matt said, almost whispering. "I'm starting to get scared."

Sho noticed the look of pain on his friend's face and decided to try and comfort him. So he got out of his seat and walked around the desk. Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, Sho said," Hey buddy, if you're that worried about all of this, I'll go with you to help take some of the edge off."

"You'll really would do that?" Matt asked, looking at his friend with a hopeful stare in his eyes.

"Sure, what are friends for?" Sho asked lightly.

Suddenly Matt didn't a very uncharacteristic move and leapt from his seat, grabbing Sho in a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh thank you, thank, thank you, buddy!" Matt screamed hysterically.

"Matt, I can't breath," Sho gasped.

"Huh?" Matt looked up at his friend and realized he was crushing the life of out him. He released his friend so he could get some air and began rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry about that buddy. Guess I just caught up in the moment."

"That's okay Matt," Sho said, still panting a little. "Just warn me if you're going to do that."

"Okay," Matt said, his composure regained. "Now let get going or we're going to late."

"Got it man," Sho said, the event of early completely forgotten.

The two roommates then gathered their things and lifted their dorms without another word.

(Around lunchtime)

Rena walked down the busy street of the city, deep in thoughts. It was Wednesday and the disguised fox always meant her model friend at a small diner near her working place. Rena had noticed Rumiko's absents too and was planning on getting to the bottom of it today.

"Hey Rika?" Rena whispered to her cursed tamer concealed in her flowing blonde hair.

"Yeah, Renamon, what's up?" the flame colored fox asked.

"I was just wondering if your mother ever told you when you're were born," Rena answered.

"No, she only said she was young when she had me," Rika said. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Rena said casually.

"Don't pull that stick with me Renamon," Rika said in her commanding voice. "I know when something wrong with you, so split it before I bubble boom you."

"All right, all right, no need to get violent," Rena said easily. "I just have been worried about your mother to be."

"Why is something wrong with her?" Rika asked, showing concern for her mother to be.

"Well, Rumiko haven't been around for nearly two weeks and I have this feeling something's wrong with her," Rena replied seriously.

"Oh," it took a minute for Rika to get at what Rena was impaling. "OHHHHH! You're thinking that this is the time when I was going be born, didn't you?"

Rena simply nodded as the diner where Rumiko was going to be at, came into view. Rena could easily make out her blonde hair friend, sitting at their usual table near a window. She walked into the diner and quickly made her way over to Rumiko.

"Oh hey, Rena," Rumiko said in a less then happy tone.

"Hey Rumiko nice to see you again," Rena said in light humorous tone as she took her seat opposite of Rumiko.

"Yeah, I have been busy later," Rumiko, mumbled, looking at her glass of water instead of her friend.

"Hmm," now Rena was patient by nature, but she was eager to know what was wrong with her mother of her tamer and close friend. "Okay, Rumiko, what's wrong with you?"

"Huh?" Rumiko looked up at her friend, slightly startle by Rena's forwardness. She then forced a smile on her face as she said," Why, Rena why do you think something wrong?"

"Because you haven't visited Matt in nearly two weeks and that gave me reason to think something wrong," Rena said a little more forcefully then she intended too.

Rumiko dropped her fake smile and returned her eyes to her water. "Something wrong all right, very wrong," she whispered solemnly.

"You know if something wrong you could always came to me or the others for help," Rena said reassuringly and patted Rumiko hand in comfort.

"Well this problem has to deal with Matt," Rumiko said solemnly, looking out the window.

"Well, I'm always here to talk, you should know that," Rena said reassuringly.

Rumiko continued to look out the window, showing no sighs that she had heard her friend. After a minute the model sighed and looked at her friend with solemn eyes.

"Remember two weeks ago when we got drunk?" she asked and Rena nodded. "Well when we got back to the dorm, Matt and I did something that could result in something that would probably change both of our lives."

_So does this mean what I think it mean? _Rena thought to herself and then said," So what is bad that you feel like you need to avoid your boyfriend."

"Well I'm pregnant," Rumiko whispered in a mix of solemn of embarrassment.

Though Rena was prepared for this, she still had this unsettling feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. She pushed off that feeling aside as she put on a sincere smile and said," Is that all that bothering you?"

Rumiko shook her solemnly and said," What if he's doesn't want the child or worse what if he's leaves me about of it?"

Rumiko looked at her friend and Rena saw the tears the model was fighting back. The disguised fox knew that Rumiko wanted to express all those negative emotions that have been building up for the past two weeks, but were just afraid too.

"Hey you should him know him better then that," Rena said reassuringly and gripped her friend's hand. "He world probably is going be happy about the child. But if you want, I could be with you when you break the big news."

"You'll do that?" Rumiko asked hopefully.

"Sure, what are friend for?" Rena asked in a light humor.

Suddenly Rumiko became all teary eyed and gripped Rena's hand really tightened. "Oh, thank you, thank, thank you!"

"Umm, Rumiko mind letting go of my hand before you crush it?" Rena asked calmly.

"Oh, sorry," Rumiko said weakly and let go of her friend's hand as a light blush spread across her face.

Rena rubbed her hand as she said friendly," hey, it's nothing. So how about we get our lunch before I late for my next classes."

Rumiko simply nodded and the two then proceed to order their lunch like nothing was different.

(Later...Rumiko's house)

Matt looked up at the large wooden gates with sweat covering his brow and a nervous expression on his face. His lip was quiver in nervousness and his legs were rattling so much that it sounded like they were made out of metal. It was easy to tell that the all mighty shadow fighter was so nervous that he was about to jump out of his skin. Seeing his seemingly unshakeable friend, getting afraid like a little kid, was annoying Sho, big time.

"Do you want me to ask?" the sandy blonde asked in annoyance.

"Hey this isn't like going into a bar and starting brawl, this take guts," Matt said a little more harshly then meant to, while glaring at his roommate.

Sho sigh in slight frustration and gave his friend a light punch to the face. Though the punch wasn't hard enough to do anything to the shadow fighter, it still startled him.

"Can I ask what was the for?" Matt asked, his voice rising in anger slightly.

"You needed some sense knocked into you that's why," Sho replied, matching his friend's tone.

At a lost for words, Matt just glared at his roommate for a minute before turning his eyes back to the large wooden gate. But seeing that door caused all of his anger to vanished into thin air, leaving only his nervousness and his legs began rattling again.

Sho now was starting to get ticked, seeing his friend getting nervous again and with another sigh of frustration, he pushed opened the door and shoved Matt into the grounds.

"Now get going before I starting slipping the back of your head," Sho said threateningly and to add to the affect, showed his hand.

"All right, all right, I'm going," Matt said in defeat and then sighed.

The shadow fighter then hesitation walked up to the door and press the doorbell. He waited nervously for the door to be answered and dipped his hand into the pocket were he kept the ring. He began fingering that ring in nervousness as the waiting began working into him, making him more nervous. Finally when his nerves were about to break, the door opened. But who was in it wasn't whom Matt was hoping for.

"Oh, hello, Matt," Seiko said kindly. "Rumiko isn't home right now, but if you want, you and your friend can came in."

"Thanks," Matt was disappointed that his wildcat wasn't here at the moment, but hid it well.

Seiko smiled softly at the shadow fighter. She had a feeling she knew what Matt was here for, but like all good mothers, she knew when to keep her mouth closed. Besides, this was something only her daughter and the shadow fighter could work out.

Seiko turned to Sho and bowed in greeting as she said kindly," Hello there young man. I'm Seiko Makino and by I ask what your name is?"

"I'm Sho Nonaka. I'm your daughter's boyfriend's roommate," Sho introduced himself as he returned the bow.

"Nice to meet you Sho," Seiko said, smiling friendly at the boy and then address both boys. "Well come in you two. I have a fresh pot of tea boiling and I like to share it with you."

"That sounds great," Sho said happily.

Matt just nodded his agreement, refusing to look Rumiko's mother in the eyes. He was still feeling down about not seeing Rumiko and he knew if he looked at Seiko, she would be able to see it in his eyes.

Seiko then turned into the house with the boys following her. A minute later the three were seated at the table, quietly sipping their tea. Well Matt and Seiko were sipping, but Sho was downing his tea like it was the only thing he had to drink in three days.

"This is the most amazing tea I had ever had!" Sho exclaimed. "What's your secret, Miss Makino?"

Seiko giggled lightly as she said," There's no secret, Sho. This is just an old recipe that has been in my family for centuries. Would you like more?"

"Please!" Sho exclaimed and held out his cup.

Seiko giggled again as she took the cup and began pooling some more tea. Matt, who had remain quiet for most of the time, placed his half drunken cup on the table and looked at his girlfriend's mother.

"Seiko, can I asked what's wrong with Rumiko?" Matt asked seriously.

The middle aged woman looked at her daughter's boyfriend slightly startled before resuming pooling Sho's tea. Matt waited patiently for Seiko to finish her task. She handed the cup of tea back to the sandy blonde, but kept her silence. Finally after a short period, she spoke.

"Yes, Matthew, something is very wrong with my daughter," Seiko spoke in a whisper-like voice, refusing to look Matt in the eye.

"But what's wrong with her?" Matt asked, his voice becoming a slightly more forcefully.

"She's want to tell you something, but she's very scared about your reaction to it," Seiko answered kindly, looking Matt squarely in the eye.

"Oh I see," Matt said disappointingly and standing up. He had read the massage his girlfriend's mother was sending him wrong and took it as bad news.

He turned the leave, but was stopped when Seiko said," Matt, before you walk out that door, just know this. My daughter loves you with all of her heart and more, but what's happening to her is really scaring her."

"But what's so frightening that she need to avoid me?" Matt asked solemnly.

"That's something only she can tell you," Seiko said lightly and then began drinking her own tea.

The black hair and yellow-stripped teen looked toward the ceiling in deep thought. After a period of thinking, he sighed and looked towards his girlfriend's mother.

"When Rumiko gets home, tell her, I like to see her at my dorm."

Seiko lowed her tea and looked at Matt," I well."

The shadow fighter nodded his thanks and then grabbed his roommate by the back of his shirt. He yanked Sho out of there while he was still drinking his tea, causing him to spill most of it.

"Wait! My teaaaaaaaaa!" Sho whined as he reached for it.

(...)

The roommates walked down the streets that would take them back to the collage. Sho was complaining about wasting all of that delicious tea, but Matt was to deep into thought to hear him.

_What's Rumiko keeping from me that she think I would be unset about? _The shadow fighter thought.

"Why did you have to pull me from heaven, man?" Sho asked in a whiny voice.

"Hey man, you mind, I'm trying..." Matt trailed off as he felt his heart being pitched.

"You're trying to do what?" Sho asked a little angrily, glaring at his roommate. But when Matt didn't answer, Sho's anger was replace with concern. "Hey, Matt, are you okay?"

_Rumiko's in danger, I just know it,_ Matt thought in concern.

Then without warning, he sprinted off, leaving behind one confused and worried roommate. Guided by his sixth sense, Matt raced across the streets with speeds not even him thought was possible. He came to an alleyway that was just three blocks from Rumiko's house. That pitching feeling in his heart now felt like someone was squeezing his heart.

"She's here, I can feel it," Matt muttered to himself.

Then without a moment hesitation, he stepped into the alley. The instant he stepped into the alley, he was meant with the sound of flesh on flesh. Matt's eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness of the alley and what he saw shocked him beyond belief. Three punks were beating on his wildcat. Lucky, Rumiko was using some common sense and blocking certain parts of her body with trashcan's lids, but the punk were targeting her unprotected areas. Rena was off the sides, looking drugged up, but okay.

Just watching as Rumiko took a punch in the face and seeing her in so much pain caused Matt's anger to exploded and causing his family heirloom to light up in deep red.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!" Screaming, Matt threw himself at the punks.

He grabbed two by the back of their shirts and threw them behind him. Sho ran up to the alley just as the two punks landed right at his feet. He looked at the two for quick sec and then backs up at Matt. The shadow fighter was now guarding the two defenseless women, glaring at the final punk.

"Do I know you?" Matt asked coldly, looking at the boy in front of him.

"You should, I was once the second in command of the Thunder Splats," the brown haired boy said angrily. "The name Jou Lightening and it's not nice to see you again, Smith?"

"Oh yeah, I remember you now," Matt said in a monotone voice. "And I see you taken a page from your bosses book."

"Take what you can get, that's was another one of my boss's saying," Jou said coldly and glared daggers at the shadow fighter. "And I intent to do just that."

Jou threw himself at Matt and swing his fist. Matt just took a step back, avoiding the punch entirely and causing Jou to loose his balance and stumble forward. Matt gripped him by the shoulder and lifted the boy up, so their eyes were a lined.

"Now listening here, Lightening," Matt said the name with no meaning behind his voice. "I don't like bullies, but I really hate bullies when they pick on someone I know."

"You think you can threatening me so easily?" Jou screamed angrily in Matt's face sending droplets of spit onto the shadow fighter's face. "Well think again! I'm not going down like Thunder did."

Matt calmly wiped the spit from his face and look Jou directly in the eye. "You're not a fighter, Jou. But if you really want it, I would gave you the same thing I gave Thunder four years ago."

He then let Jou go and jumped back. As he soared backwards, the shadow fighter found his center and let his vein fill with the power of the shadows. He landed besides his roommate and got into his usual black lightening strike stance.

"Now Jou, let see if you can take my thunder!! Black lightening strike!!!!!!" Matt thrust his tattoo fist forward; palm opened and released the black lightening.

Jou could only stand in watch in shock as the black lightening strike, struck him in the chest, hauling him off of his feet and into the wall at the end of the alley.

"Why can't I move?" he shouted into the air.

_I just wish the strike stops their mouths from working too, so I didn't have to listen to that anytime I use it,_ Matt thought as he walked up to Rumiko.

_What the heck was that?_ Sho screamed in his mind as he looked at the down gangster in shock. He had no idea that Matt could do something like the black lightening bolt he just used. _If he could do that, I wonder what else he has hidden in his sleeve?_

"Sho, mind stopping your daydreaming and giving me a hand here?" Matt asked forcefully, knocking Sho out of his thoughts. "I have two girls here and I only can carry one of them."

"Right, bud," Sho said and hurried over to Rena.

He hoisted the pure blonde up and put her arm around his neck. He looked towards Matt and saw he had Rumiko in both of his arms and was looking at his wildcat with remorse in his eyes. Sho wanted to ask so much, but he knew this wasn't the right place or the right time.

"Come on bud, let get out of here," Matt said lowly.

Sho simply nodded and then the two hurried out of the alley and to the nearest hospital where their friends could get some help.

(Some time later)

"So let me get this straight, those punks ambush you and Rumiko when we'll going to Rumiko's house and they somehow drugged you with something," Sho said obviously.

Rena nodded slightly; careful not to jar her head too much in fear of irritated her splitting headache. Whatever drugs, Lightning and his henchman used on her were starting to lose it effects, but it lifted her with one splitting headache.

"I still find it hard to believe that you were ambush so easily," Sho said obviously.

"Tell me about it," Rena mumbled darkly.

"Who cares about Rena at the moment!" Matt shouted. "For all we know, Rumiko could be hurt or worse."

The two blondes looked at their enraged friend, one slightly surprised by the outburst, the other just annoyed because he sounds so loud.

Matt brushed off the looks like they were nothing and resumed his pacing. It has been nearly an hour since Matt and Sho had brought their friends to the hospital and though Rena was release almost after she was emitted, Rumiko was still being checked up on and it was driving Matt all a wall. Every minute he waited, it felt like another year of his life was taken away.

_I should have been there. I should have protected her,_ Matt thought angrily and shamefully.

"Matt, please stop that pacing, it making my headache worse," Rena moaned, holding her aching head.

"I COULD CARE LESS FOR YOUR PROBLEMS AT THE TIME, RENA!!!" Matt screamed in Rena's face and held up his glowing red tattooed fist.

Sho grabbed his friend's fist and forcefully lowed it. "Listen, Matt, we all are worried about Rumiko at the moment, but getting so worked up isn't going to help us and taking all of you anger out on Rena isn't helping either."

Matt snapped his head to his right and glared at Sho and Sho just meant it with a calm stare. After a minute, Matt dropped his glare and sighed.

"I know, I know," he said in a moaning voice. "But I'm just worried for her at the moment that I feel like I'm about to exploded."

Sho removed his hand from his friend's hand and patted him on the shoulder reassuring. "We're all are worried about her, but like I said before getting anger isn't going to help."

Matt just nodded his head a little solemnly and took a seat next to Rena. He then offered the disguised fox his shoulder to lean on and she gladly took it. Not all after that, a doctor in his mid 40th came up to the trio.

"You were the ones who brought in a Miss Rumiko Makino, right?" the doctor asked and the group nodded warily. "Well, you'll be happy to know, she and her baby are going to be fine."

"Baby?" Matt and Sho asked in unison.

The doctor nodded as he said," Well, it's too early to tell, but she has all the classic sighs, stomach cramps, vomiting and lose of hunger."

Matt's eyes widen as the conversation with his girlfriend's mother came rushing back to her.

"_She's want to tell you something but she's very scared of your reaction to it."_

He leaned forward and grabbed his head, his face wide in fear. The night of two weeks came flashing back to him and he realized all to well what was going on.

"I'm...I'm the father," Matt said hesitantly, looking up at the doctor in fear.

"Are you sure, young man?" the doctor asked seriously.

"Oh yeah, I sure," Matt said lowly, nodding his head slowly. "Can we see her?"

"Certainly, follow me," the doctor said and turned on his heels.

Matt, Rena and Sho all got up and followed the doctor down the halls. They came to a room marked B2 and they could easily see Rumiko in the bed, looking out her window.

Matt stared at Rumiko lovingly before sighing and turning to his friends. "If you two don't mind, I'll like to handle this alone."

Sho and Rena nodded as Sho said," We understand, bud."

Matt sigh once more and then stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Rumiko looked at him when she heard the door close and smiled sadly at him. Matt tried to put his best smile on, but it turned out ever sadder then his girlfriends. He walked up the bed, where Rumiko was; unaware that the door behind him opened a creak and a pair of eyes peeked into the room.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Matt asked a little solemnly.

The sadness in Rumiko's eyes doubted as she looked towards her sheets. "I didn't know how you would react if I told you," she said in a quiet voice.

"Hmm," Matt took Rumiko's chin in his hand and gently lifted her head up, so they were staring into each other's eyes. "Do you actually think I would reject you because of a child?"

Rumiko freed her chin and nodded her head sadly. Matt smiled softly as he took his girlfriend's chin in both of his hand and turned her eyes to his once again.

"Well think again. I always am your side, remember that. In fact, I want to ask you something very important that might just ease you mind," Rumiko watched in confusion as Matt got down onto one knee and took out a small black box. "Rumiko Makino, I would be honored if you take this ring and my hand in marriage."

He opened the box and showed the violet colored jewel to his girlfriend. Rumiko looked at the beautiful gem with happy tears in her eyes and then threw herself onto Matt.

"Oh, yes! Yes! I would like nothing more!!" she cried happily into Matt's ears.

Matt wrapped his finance in a loving embrace and they stay like that for about 2 minutes. He then pulled himself free and took Rumiko left hand. Taking the ring from it box, he slipped it onto Rumiko ring finger. Rumiko admired the ring with happy tears streaming down her face.

"I'll think of you anything I see this ring," Rumiko said softly.

"And I'll think of you anytime I look into the golden sun," Matt said romantically.

The two looked lovingly into each other's eyes for a short period and slowly began moving their lips closer together. They meant in a passionate kiss, full of life. Matt's tattoo began glowing in light pinkish red color, meaning he was totally in love with his new finance.

From the spot by the door, Rena and Sho watched all of this with knowing smiles. They had eased dropped on the entire thing and couldn't be happier with their friends then they were at the moment.

"Well it's looks like Matt is finally getting what he deserves," Sho said as he leaned up against the wall, while continuing to look at the lovebirds.

"Yes, they both had to suffer a lot in they're life, but now they could have a moment of happiness," Rena said softly, while scratching the back of her neck.

"What does that mean? And what wrong with you neck?" Sho asked.

"Well I believe life is short and you need to hold onto it like a fading light in the night and I don't really know what's wrong with my neck," Rena answered.

"Renamon, you weird clock tattoo is glowing blue and all the number have been flipped around," Rika whispered into her humanoid partner's ear. "What do you think that means?"

Rena looked back at the kissing couple and it began all to clear to her. "We're leaving the past," she spoke with more sadness then she intended.

(...)

Rika (Mad): THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME BORN??

Me: Hey this is just a FF, no need to get so worked up.

Rika: I DON'T CARE!! I DON'T WANT TO BE BORN BECAUSE MY MOTHER AND YOUR STUPID CHACARTER WAS DRUNK!!!

Me: Well it's in there now, so you'll just have to deal with it.


	12. Leaving the Shadows

Me: Well, I don't need to state the obvious, but this is the last chapter of Shadows of the Past.

Rika (Mumbling): Yeah, yeah, just get on with the stupid thing, already.

Me: Are you still upset about my last chapter?

Rika (Glaring): Yeah, well I don't like how you made my mother pregnant

Me (shrugging off the glare): Well I made my character somebody who didn't want to make any more mistakes, so I need to do something.

Rika (Screaming in my face): WELL YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT LIKE THAT!!!

Me (Wiping the spit from my face): Well like I said before, you'll just have to deal with it and now onto the final chapter.

Rika: Oh no you don't! You're not getting away that easy.

Me (Grinning slyly): I'm not going anyways, it you who going on a trip.

Shadows of the Past:

Chapter 12: Leaving the Shadows.

In the dead of night, its creatures played their sings of the dark. A cricket chirps as an owl hoot and a cat's glowing eyes pierced through the dark, looking for prey to play with. But among all of these natural wonders of the night, something else was stirring.

A figure raced across the grounds with the grace of a jungle cat. She ran on silent feet and the creatures of the night paid her no attention. The figure choose to stop at one certain house and the full moon choose that time to peek from it hiding spot behind some cloud. The glowing object cost it light down onto the figure, reveling the figure was in fact the humanoid digimon from the future, Renamon also known as Rena Kamiya. The house the disguised fox was staring at was in fact the house of her long time friend and self-proclaimed cousin, Matthew Smith.

She sighs and placed her hand behind the back of her neck. She could feel the heat reradiating off that strange clock shaped tattoo located on the back of her neck. It had been acting strange for the past two weeks and just a few hours ago, Rena had been told by her cursed tamer, Rika, that the tattoo was glowing and she a pretty good idea what that meant.

"Why is this happening now?" Rena wondered to herself.

True, she was happy that she and Rika would be returning to their rightful time, but still it sad, knowing that she would have to leave people she saw as close friends and knowing that she would be returning to only one of these friends.

Sighing again only deeper, Rena bent at the knees and jumped into the air. She made it to the back of the roof in one leap and sat down Indian style. She looked out into the back yard and let memories filled her head.

She still could remember all of the early morning sparring matches Matt and she had in that very back yard. She could hear the yipping and meowing of their curse charges as they watched from the porch, cheering on their favorite to win. Staring deeper into the grassy green of the back yard, she could see ghostly images of herself and her sparring partners appeared.

They bowed to each other and then got into their usual fighting stances. This ghostly pair started out like their real counter parts do, with a staring contest. But like the real Rena, the ghostly Rena, broke down first and made the first move.

Rena could only smiled as the ghostly images disappeared into thin air. Thinking back to all of it, she recalled that she had always threw the first punch or made the first move. She also realized she do so out of fear of her sparring partners.

_These eyes always seem to have a piercing feeling to them and that always got under my skin,_ the fox thought, costing her eyes up to the night sky. _Not even his own daughter had that kind of effect on me, but then again Matt isn't your run of the mill human, either. I doubt I could take him on even if I was in my natural body._

"So, Rena, why are you here at my Grammy's old place?" a deep voice asked casually.

Turning her head to the right, Rena watched as her close friend materialized out of thin air, wearing his second attire and in his usual standing position.

"Hey, Matt, I know I didn't wake you up as I lifted because I live on the other side of the collage," Rena said lightly and forced a smile.

Matt shrugged his shoulder lightly as he walked over to his friend and said," Well ever since Rumiko told me I was going to be a daddy, I gotten back into the habit of keeping my senses on high and I just sensed you leaving." The easiness faded from his eyes as he spoke the next groups of words. "I could also sense that something is wrong with you, so mind sharing with the rest of the class?"

Rena dropped her fake smile and looked away from her cousin. She didn't know when she started to actually call Matt her cousin, but she really didn't care anymore. She just knew that she couldn't face the man she thought as family without spilling her guts to him.

"Hey, Rena what's wrong?" Matt asked softly, taking a seat next to his friend.

"Why do you think there's something wrong?" Rena asked weakly, refusing to look her friend in the eye.

"I have known you for four years, Rena. I know when something wrong, so just tell me," Matt spoke softer then before.

Rena sighed and looked at her friend. She knew she couldn't hide something from Matt for long.

"What would you say if I was leaving?" though Rena spoke in a calm, clear voice, Matt saw the grief and sadly in his friend's eyes.

"If you had ask me that question four years ago, I wouldn't even gave it a second thought, but now I different and this is coming from deep within my heart."

Rena waited on edge for her friend to say what was in his heart.

Matt looked at Rena seriously and said," You were the first person who even concerned looking at me more then just a bully or a victim. You'll the first to even stand by my side and actually tell me when I did something wrong. You were the first to challenge me, time and time again. You have helped me see just as much as Rumiko has and for that I thank you for the bottom of my heart, but I guess what I'm really trying to say is, I would miss you because you were one of my first friends and I would never forget that."

Rena could feel tears swallowing up, but willed them away. It was at this time, that she realized how much Matt actually meant to her. It was like she was sitting next to her crimson skin lover and that all of the trouble she had encountered just vanished into the air.

Matt smiled lightly at Rena and said," Well, Rena, we should be getting back, we have an early day."

"Well, I feel like just staying here for a while longer," Rena said, turning to face the moon.

"Okay," Matt simply replied and stood up. He turned around and began walking towards the front of the roof, but stopped midway and faced Rena again. "You know, Rena, if you do have to leave, just know you'll always have a place to call home."

Then without waiting for Rena's reply, Matt jumped off the roof and disappeared into the shadows. From her spot, Rena was now struggling to keep her tears from flowing and failing too.

_Matthew Smith, how I wish you were still alive in my time, so then I wouldn't have to face your wife along,_ Rena thought sadly, letting her tears come willingly.

(Later)

Matt walked down the streets with his hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket and an easy smile on his face. He was heading towards a local bakery that was rumored to make the best bread in the city, but he kept distracted by little things. Two kids, brothers no doubt, about five years old, ran past the shadow fighter, waving the newest toy fad. Matt pasted the kids' parents and noticed how their eyes seem to be watching their children like they were the only ones around.

_Just think in a few short mouths, I will be like them. Watching as my child grows, experiencing all the pains and joys of fatherhood,_ As Matt thought this, his easy going smile slowly turned into a frown as a picture of his family unexpected popped into head. He mentally sigh as he thought,_ Just wished my parents were here to share in the joy._

A woman scream of terror brought the shadow fighter out of his thoughts and he looked to source of the scream. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the family he just pass, watching in fear as one of their boys had wondering into the streets carelessly and was now staring down a speeding car, frozen in place. The driver of the cherry red sport car was to busy talking with his female passenger to even notice the kid in his way.

It only took a split of a second for the shock to set in and the shadow fighter spring into action. He let the power of the shadows flow into him once more and with that power boosting his speed, he was at the place were the family stood shock beyond movement and jumped the length to where the kid was. Matt quickly scooped the boy into a tight embrace and jumped just as the car reached the spot where the kid was. Matt landed next to the family and immediately the mother took her son into a loving hug.

"Thank you so much," the father said in gratefully and bowed his respected.

"It's nothing," Matt said seriously. "But in the future, be more careful. This is a busy city and anything could happen."

The father just nodded his head and then wrapped his wife and child into a hug. Matt smiled warmly as he watched the family cry tears of joy for their son, when he felt someone tugging at his jeans. He looked down at the boy's twin brother and he could only smile more.

"You know what Mister?" the boy asked in innocence.

"What's that, kid?" Matt asked, roughing the kid's milky brown hair.

"When I grow up, I want be to just like you!" the boy answered in childish heroism.

Matt chuckled lightly at this and said kindly," Well, if you work hard and remain true to yourself, then you may just be like me."

The shadow fighter then walked away from the grateful family with this spot light shining down from the heavens.

"Like at me. My kid isn't even born yet and I feel like a father," Matt mumbled to himself as he came up to a bakery titled "Matsuki bakery". "This the place."

He was about to go in when he saw a group of thugs, holding the place up. One thug had a pistol pointed at a person about four or five years older then Matt himself. Off the to corner, Matt could see young lady with what appeared to be a baby in her arms. Seeing all of this started to get the shadow fighter ticked and it showed in his tattoo.

One of the thugs suddenly looked in Matt's direction, but he was quick and ducked below the window. But the guy, who thought he saw something, became suspicious and decided to investigate. He stepped out of the bakery and that's when Matt made his move.

The shadow fighter spring forth from his hiding spot and delivered a fierce upper cut to the guy's chin. The thug flew a good feet before landed on his back, out like a light. The guy's friend's snapped their heads to the door when they heard something and saw Matt looking over their friend. Before they could process what was happening, Matt snapped his head in their direction and the thugs flinched at the icy look the shadow fighter was giving them.

Before the thugs had time to act, Matt had disappeared and reappeared behind the thug that held the mother and her baby. He grabbed the guy by his left arm and snapped it in half. He then shoved the guy forward and gave him a hard kick to the stomach, sending him flying into a wall and knocking him out cool.

Matt looked at the final guy and notice he was starting to tremble in fear, but still he held his gun at the owner of the store.

"You better let that guy go, now," Matt said in a calm voice.

"Or what?" The guy exclaimed angrily and then grinned. "If you haven't noticed I have the edge."

"Oh, really?" Matt grinned and then disappeared from sight, taking the thug by surprised.

He looked around the small bakery fiercely, but find no trace of the boy with the strange hair anywhere. The thug began to sweat as he pondered where the boy could have gone.

"Hey, you, you going to buy something?" a casual voice asked.

Startled, the thug snapped his head towards the counter and saw the weird haired boy, standing where the storeowner should be. He was even wearing the apron that the owner had on. The thug lost all of his nerves after this and dropped his gun.

"W-Who are you?" he asked in a shacking voice.

"The name's Matthew Smith, but I have another name..." Matt held up his tattoo fist. "...They call me Black Lightening."

Right at that moment, the thug felt like he was going to pee himself. He, like any other street thugs had heard about the infamous Black Lightening, the one who taken out Thunder, one of the toughest gang leader in all of the city.

"So you're going to buy something or you going to stand there all day?" Matt asked in a casual voice.

The thug lost what little nerve he had lift and decided to run for it before he got hurt. He spun around on his heel and bolted through the door, completely forgetting about his two down friends.

"Man, it's a real shame when something like this happens," Matt muttered to himself and then looked under the counter. "It's safe to come out now.

The shadow fighter stepped away from counter as the storeowner came out from under it. He instantly ran towards his family and made sure they were fine. After seeing that they were wasn't a scratch on them, the owner sighs in relief and then turned towards Matt.

"Thank you. I wouldn't know what would have happen if you haven't shown up when you did," the owner said gratefully and bowed.

Matt shrugged his shoulder light and said easily," Hey, it was nothing, I save people all the time."

"But still I wouldn't know what I would have done if I lost my son, Tatako," the man said, looking at the infant in his wife's hands and then at Matt. "He's only about three mouth old."

Matt looked at the little baby with just a pinch of drown fuzz and imagine what his baby was going to look like. He imagined that his baby was going to have it mother's golden blonde hair and his beautiful violet colored eyes.

"By the way, I'm Takehiro Matsuki and that's my wife, Mia," Takehiro said, bring Matt out of his thoughts and offering his hand.

"And I'm Matthew Smith," Matt said, reaching out with his tattoo hand.

The second the two hands locked together, Matt's tattoo began flashing in a rainbow of colors and Matt felt a strange power overloading his senses, making him light headed.

"Uhhhhh," Matt moaned as he removed his hand from his new friend's and held his head. He stumbled backwards until he fond a wall and leaned up against it.

"Are you okay?" Mia asked in concern.

"Yes, I just suddenly very light headed," Matt, said groggily as he fought to regain his balance. "I think I better go back to my dorm and lay down."

"Do you want me to drive you there?" Takehiro offered nicely.

"No, I'm starting to feel better," Matt, said, walking carefully to the door. "Beside, I don't want to trouble you when need to get back to work."

He then walked out of the store before anyone could abject. Mia looked at her husband, worried about the young man that just saved them.

(With Rena)

"Hmm, if I didn't know better, I was swore this is a placement spell," Seiko said, looking at the tattoo on Rena's neck.

"What's a placement spell?" Rena asked, letting go of her hair and looking at the spell caster.

"Well, a placement spell is a spell where a person could be place in another time period," Seiko explained as she took a seat at the table. "So I take it, you're not from around this time period?"

"Yes, I'm actually from 14 years from the future and I knew your grandchild," Rena had to admit; it felt weird to finally tell somebody the truth about herself. "But I would really like it if you do not your daughter or Matt at the time."

"I understand, dear," Seiko said kindly.

Rena smiled at the woman's kindness and took a sip from her tea. Seiko also began drinking her tea and for a few minutes, the two just sat there quietly, drinking their tea. But soon, Rena set her tea down and looked at Seiko.

"Can I ask about these placement spells?" she asked kindly.

Seiko nodded slightly as she finished her tea and then placed the empty cup onto the table. "Certainly, dear. They are actually two types of placement spells. The first is a simple spell and the most common used for final testing of a trainee spell caster. All the spell caster has to do is enchanted two simpler items. One of these two items are taken by the spell caster, while the other stayed in the normal time period and that second enchanted item acts as a road to lid the first item back to itself," Though Seiko was explaining things, she still kept that kind voice.

"And that second placement spell?" Rena asked, curious to know.

"Well I believe the placement spell on you is the second one," Seiko answered kindly, confusing the disguised fox. "Well this spell is very complex then compared to the first one. No items are enchanted when this spell is used. Instead the bonds of spirits are used."

"Bonds of spirits?" Rena repeated in a calm, confused voice.

"Yes, the bonds of spirits," Seiko said, nodding. "For example if I wanted to send you back in time, all I needed to do was used the bonds you formed with someone and send you back through time with their past self as a point of guidance."

_That makes little sense,_ Rena thought as she held her chin in thinking. _If what Seiko saying is true, then wouldn't I have landed somewhere near Rumiko or this house instead near Matt?_

The disguised fox was brought back to reality when Seiko said," But I could be wrong. This spell seems somewhat different from the ones I know of."

"How is it different?" Rena asked, hiding her confusion.

"Well when the second placement spell is used, it often leaves an aura of the spell caster who activated the spell, so the person could returned to their rightful time at any given moment, but I don't sense an aura around you."

"So what do you think it means?" Rena asked calmly, but feeling worried herself.

"Hmm..." Seiko looked down at her empty teacup and grabbed it. She got up from the table and went to the teapot. Rena waited patiently for Seiko to finished poring her tea. Once she was finished, Seiko returned to her seat and took a long drink. After her drink, she placed the cub on the table and let out a long sigh. "Well rumors among the old spell casters said that there was a third placement spell that is said to be very different from the others."

If Rena was in her true state, her ears would be twitching at the moment, but since she was human, she could only settled for a confuse look. Seiko took another long sigh and another long drink before going on.

"Well this third placement spell was rumored to be created by the ancient council of spell casters and was said have a different use then the last two."

"But how is it different?" Rena asked, her curiousness starting to show in her voice.

"Well your remember how I said that the second placement spell used the aura of the caster to return to their right time period?" Seiko asked and Rena nodded. "Well this third placement spell was supposedly used when a person from one time is meant to aid person from another time period."

"That really doesn't make a lot of sense," Rena said slowly.

"Well the spell was meant to say that nothing is choose, but fate has a hand in everything," Seiko spoke in a low, mysterious voice.

"Okay, now you lost me?" Rena said uneasily.

"Well the council thought that even if someone was born in one time, they might have a destiny in a different time and once that destiny is fulfilled the person would returned to their rightful time," Seiko said then sigh. "That's why the spell was never created, because destiny can be ever changing. Well I better let you go. You probably have a lot of things to do before heading home."

Rena nodded and finished off her tea. Getting up, she placed her empty cup in the sink and lifted without another word. Seiko also finished her tea and went to the sink. From the window over the sink, the middle-aged woman watched the disguised fox walked around of the grounds. Though Rena looked like she was walking normally, Seiko could see how sad she truly was.

Sighing heavily, Seiko lifted the kitchen and walked the halls of her house to her room. She stared at her door for the longest time, before letting out another sigh and grabbed the knob. She stepped into the dim lit room and closed the door quietly behind her.

Seiko stared into the room, looking at all the objects that she had inherited when her husband pass on. But the one that stood out the most was a simple, praying statue with a magical glowing green gem on its base. She looked at the statue for a long time before lowing her eyes to the ground and walking to the center of the room. Seiko waved her hand across the floor and a section of it rose up. A secret safe rose up from the ground and stopped at Seiko breast level.

Seiko reached out to the center of the safe a locking mechanism appeared. Seiko send some of her magic into the mechanism and the four locks undid themselves. She lifted the lid of the safe and stared at all of the forbidden spells, littered in the safe.

_My husband's family was charged with keeping these dangerous spells for every falling into the wrong hands and I may have broken that vow by using the third placement spell on that girl, Rena kamiya,_ Seiko thought worryingly, eyeing the spell scroll which contents the third placement spell.

(...)

Matt walked the halls of his college in a semi small daze. He was still feeling light headed and it was not only missing with his vision, but his sixth sense too, making it harder to find his dorm by locking into his friends' auras.

_What's wrong with me?_ Matt wondered to himself. _Even since shaking hands with that bread storeowner, I felt like my head is in the clouds. It's a wonder I made it back here without having an ancient._

The shadow fighter was currently heading towards his dorm or at least he thought he was and he needed to hang on the wall for support.

"And what was with my tattoo?" he asked himself, looking at the black lightening bolt on his right hand. "It fleshed so many colors and it was so hot, it nearly burned my hand."

Matt wanted to think about it, but anytime he tried to put together a descent thought, he would just get ever more light headed and now a headache was coming, he could fine it. So he would just have to settle for getting back to his dorm and getting into bed for a nice long rest.

He putted his hand back on the wall and resumed walking. After five minutes of walking, he finally came to what he believe was his dorm and went in without a second thought.

"Matt, you don't look so good," Sho asked in concern.

Matt sighed, slightly relieved that he was in the right dorm and then said in a groggy voice," Trust me Sho, I feel like I have been run over by ten bikes, trampled by at least three big matron runners and to top it all off, poked in the head by a child with a stick."

"Hmm, that's sounds bad," Rena, said from her spot at the desk.

"Huh, Sorry, Rena, didn't see you there," Matt said groggily. "What are you doing here, anyways?"

Rena's face fall when she heard that and just couldn't bring herself to say what needed to be say. So instead, she just hanged her head and kept her mouth shut. Luckily Sho seemed to sense this and spring into action.

"Well actually Rena was here to tell us something, but I think she can wait until, you're feeling up to it, right?" Sho looked at the blonde for some help and Rena simply responded with a meek nodded.

Matt nodded and said," Just gave me a minute to find something and then you can tell me."

He then want over to his dresser and opened the top draw. Instead of cloths, there were various items, like the hat he wore to the nightclub two weeks back and other stuff. He rummaged through the draw until he found a small bottle of aspen. He then wanted over to a small icebox that was to the far left of the dresser and got a small bottle of water. He then took two pills from the bottle and swallowed them with some water. He then wanted over to his bed and lay down, waiting for the pills to take affected. The pills only took about a minute to take affect and Matt was finally starting to feel like himself.

"So, Rena what was it, you wanted to talk to me about?" Matt asked clearly as he set up in his bed.

The humanoid digimon looked up at her cousin with sad eyes and opened her mouth to say something, but a knocked at the door stopped her before she could start.

"It's opened!" Matt called without taking his eyes off of Rena.

The door opened and Takehiro walked in with a wrapped up loaf of bread in his hands. When Rena saw the bread maker, her mouth nearly hit the ground.

_Is that Takato's father? _Rena wondered to himself._ It has to be, they look so much alike even at though he's a few years older then the Takato, I know. What's that?_

In the four years, Rena had spent with Matt, she had learn to control her sixth sense somewhat and was able to sense auras, just not as good as Matt, but still good enough to see them and what she was seeing was blowing her mind. Takato's dad's aura was the biggest she had ever seen, even bigger then Matt's own shadow aura and that was saying something.

_Why is Takato's father aura so big and more importantly, does Takato have a similar aura?_ Rena wondered to herself, looking at the man in shock.

Takehiro didn't even notice the shocked blonde as he walked up the Matt with the smile he would pass onto his son.

"You lift in such a hurry that I never got the chance to properly thank you, so take this sweet bread as a thanks you," Takehiro said kindly and unwrapped the bread.

Matt took the bread, careful not to make an kind of connected with Takehiro. Matt brought the bread to his nose and inhaled the rich scent of the sweet bread.

"Smells good," Matt said, smiling slightly at the bread maker. "So how did you know I go to this college?"

"Well to tell the truth, I had a feeling you would be at this college," Takehiro said quietly, looking at the floor.

"What do you mean a feeling?" Matt asked, a hint of suspicious working it way into his voice.

Takehiro thought abut telling a lie, but a feeling told him that Matt might just see through the lie and decided it was better to tell the truth. So, sighing, the bread maker took a seat opposite of Matt.

"Well I don't know what's these feeling I have really are," Takehiro said, looking at his hands like they were dangerous weapons. "My father said, he has these feelings as did his father, but these feeling had scared me since I was a child."

_So this guy, Takehiro does have some kind of power, but that still doesn't explain why I feel so light headed when we shacked hands,_ Matt thought, staring at the bread maker intently. He suddenly let out a small gasped and his eyes widen slightly as something popped into his head._ Wait! I remember now. My grandfather said that when two powerful auras would clash, they cancel each other out and the one with the weaker aura would be disoriented, so does that mean this simply bread maker could be stronger then me?_

Takehiro didn't even seem to notice the stare Matt was giving him as he sigh slightly and looked towards the clock located between the two beds. He looked back at Matt and said kindly," Well I have better be getting back to work. With Takato around, it hard for one person to managed the store."

The bread maker then pushed himself off of the bed and patted Matt on the shoulder as walked towards the door. He lifted without saying another word, leaving one slightly concerned shadow fighter and his two confused friends.

_Luckily, I dulled my sixth sense before he touch me or I probably down for the count,_ Matt thought, turning towards the sweat bread, forgotten in his hands and took another whiff of it rich smell. He then turned towards his friends and asked," Hey guys, do you want a slice of this, it smell really good."

Both Sho and Rena nodded, still feeling the awkwardness of the moment. Matt hopped off his bed and made his way over to the desk. He set the bread squarely on the table and raised his hand over his head. Then quicker then the eye could see, the shadow fighter had chopped three slices, one for himself and one for each of his friends. The trio took their slices and began eating.

"Man! And I thought Miss Makino tea was the bomb! Sho exclaimed and took a big bit out of his slice.

Matt nodded his head in agreement as he swallowed the bread already in his mouth. "You said it, bro. This has to be the best sweet bread I have ever had."

Rena took another bit out of her slice and need to resist shaking her head. _Even now, Takato's father is a pro at making bread._

"So, Rena, want did you want to tell us?" Matt asked casually, bringing Rena out of her thought.

The disguised fox felt like cursing up a storm. With the whole Takehiro thing, she had forgotten about telling her friends that she was leaving and she also wanted to curse Matt's stern memory.

The disguised fox refused to look her friends in the eyes and chose to look at her slice of bread instead. She found this to be really hard and couldn't right the words that were needed.

"Rena, is something wrong?" Matt asked in concern. "Because if there is, you know you could always come to one of us."

Rena felt like cursing again. She should have known Matt would have picked up on her mood and say something comforting, which at the moment was making the fox feel uncomfortable.

"Rena," Matt said seriously, drawing the fox's attention. "I have said this before and I'll say it again. Don't hold things in, they will just eat at your soul. It betters to come out and say it."

Rena sighed and finished off her slice of bread and want back to not looking her two friends in the eyes. She, for some reason found this to be the hardest thing she had even done and that worried her. Matt and Sho waited patiently for their friend to tell them on her own. Finally after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Rena looked at her friend in a sad kind of way.

"Well I have only told Rumiko about this, but I have a very uptight father. He was always trying to groom me into his vision of the prefect lady," Rena said quietly and her friend nodded. "Well I put up with it for a while, but when he told me about an arrange marriage, I finally snapped and decided to hit the road."

Matt and Sho looked at each other at a loss for words. They thought they had touch lives, but hearing Rena's story had opened their eyes to the real Rena kamiya or that how Rena want it to sound.

"Wow, just wow," Sho said breathless. "I lost my father before the Thunder Splats took over my hood, but he was a good man."

"I know," Matt sounding just as shocked as Sho does. "My grandfather was touch when it came to my training, but he was still there when I really needed him. He used to comfort me when I had a nightmare about my parents' death."

Rena forced a sigh out of her lips as she looked down at the floor. "Well my father was a jerk and will always be."

Once again, Rena felt like every inch of her body was covered in dirt and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't clear herself off. That's because she knew she just told a big lie to two of her good friends and they had just accented it like that.

"But, Rena what does any of this have to do with you?" Sho asked curiously.

"Because he found you, hasn't him and he wants you back," Matt stated more then asked.

Rena looked at Matt and nodded her head shamefully.

"But he just can't do that!" Sho exclaimed. "I mean, Rena had already formed a good life here and is already going to collage. So why take her away for that now?"

"Well buddy, when you look at it, this is only a second rate collage and I bet someone like Rena's dad wouldn't settle for anything less then the best," Matt explained calmly, then looked at Rena. "So when are you leaving?"

Rena looked at the shadow fighter with wide eyes. She really hasn't thought about when she was actually leaving.

"Well I really don't know when I'm going to be leaving," Rena admitted and hanged her head. "Now if you don't mind, I'll like to go back to my dorm."

Then without waiting for her friend's reply, the disguised fox want to the door, but before she was able to leave, Matt said," Hey, fox, wait a minute."

Rena looked at Matt as he turned back to the sweet bread and cut a large piece of it. He then grabbed the piece and tossed it to Rena. She caught it in mid air and looked at it strangely.

"Take it, its no skin off of my nose," Matt said with a causal smile, but that faded as he looked at Rena seriously. "Rena, just remember this. You may be leaving soon, but you'll always have a home."

Rena nodded her head a little sadly and lifted without another word, leaving behind two sadness humans in her wake.

(Rena's dorm)

Rena lay in her bed with the only source of light in the room, a small lap at the fox's bedside. The only other living thing in the room beside Rena was her cursed tamer, who was at the moment sleeping.

Rena's dorm was just like Sho and Matt's dorm, so it was design for two, but at the time, only Rena was there. She was supposed to have a roommate, but she canceled at the last moment, leaving the dorm to Rena and her partner. But Rena liked it that way; it gave her time to think.

"Why? Why do I feel such sadness from all of this?" she wondered to herself.

On some level, she was happy about going back to her own time because that would mean, she would be able to be with Guilmon and Rika could be with Takato. Still there was a sense of great sadness resting in Rena's heart and it troubled her, greatly.

Rena rolled onto her side and looked at her sleeping tamer. Million of thoughts ran wild through the humanoid digimon's head, threatening to overwhelm her, so she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, in her hopes that she could put all of her thoughts to rest. Immediately after closing her eyes, she was bombarded with random images of the Matt. She saw some of her sparring matches and times when they just hanged at the large tree on the school grounds. But one memory seemed to be the diamond in the rough. It was the one where Rena helped Matt and Rumiko get closer together in that nightclub two weeks ago.

Rena opened her eyes, unable to get to sleep with all of these thoughts in her head. She rolled back onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to piece all of this together.

"Is it because I know Sho and Matt wouldn't be in the future when I get back? There two have been family to me and it's really hurting me, knowing that when I leave this time, that I'll never say them again. It would be like I lost Rika all over again," Rena whispered into the darkness.

Rena continue to lay there for about a few minutes, just thinking about all of this, but dealing with emotions was something she wasn't good at, even as a human. Finally after a little more time, she decided that she wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon and decided maybe a good night practice would help. So she quietly got out of bed and changed into her usual workout clothes. Then she tiptoed to the door and lifted the dorm without a sound.

Instead of heading towards the gym, the disguised fox want outside and headed towards the football field. As she walked to the center of the field, she looked up at the full moon and let memories of her human past flow into her.

She remembers on nights of the full moon, Matt and she would get up extra early and spar a little more then usual. She also remembers just staring up at the moon as she waited for her partner and friend to finish his morning stretching. Those were good times and she was semi sad that they were ending soon.

_If Guilmon could fight as good as Rika's father, I'll be in heaven,_ Rena thought dreamy. She could picture it now. She and Guilmon would be sparring, when she would trip him, she would anciently fall onto him, their lips meeting in a- _Wow, Wow, Wow! Stopped right there Renamon! I really got to stop reading all of those romance novels._

"You know, I had a feeling you would come here," a voice said casually.

Looking to her right, Rena saw Matt leaning against the yellow goal post, hands in his training jacket. Rena was so deep in thoughts she hadn't notice the shadow fighter until he said something.

Matt pushed off his leaning post and slowly walked up to Rena, an easy grin on his face. "I still can remember the first sparring match we had. You were so clumsy from that fall you took early, that I needed to coach you from the sides, but after that you became someone who could take me on at a certain level."

"Hmm," Rena looked towards the moon as more memories began flowing into her. "Back in my hometown, there was one person who could take me on as an equal."

"Is it the one who had stolen your heart?" Matt asked seriously.

"Actually it was," Rena replied, looking at her friend. "Like you, I had a hard life and took anything out by fighting, but when I mean Guil, things changed. He was strong, but he didn't believe in using his strength for fighting, but I wanted to fight anyways and usually forced him to fight me, but soon I find myself changing all because of his kindness and friendship. I guess that's why I fell for him in the first place."

Matt took a seat on the grassy field and began swirling his finger in the grass as he said lowly," People like that are so rare and hard to come by now a days. I know because I was once a bully, using my skill to avoid my own problems. But when I meat Rumiko, I felt for the first time that I was different, special and that I should use my gifts for something different then just bulling."

"I guess we really are different from the rest," Rena said, but thought, _some more then others._

"Humph," Matt grinned as he stood up and looked at Rena. "No, fox, we're not different, but unique and unique people should act different."

Rena laugh slightly from that one. At times Matt remains her of his daughter and at other times, he was like Takato, but that what made Matthew Smith such a good person to be around.

"I guess, you're right and I should be happy that I would be able to see Guil again, even if I have to see my father again," Right at that moment, Rena felt like a large chip had been lifted from her shoulders and now she could face the world anew.

"Now that that's only..." Matt got a mischievous looked into his eyes as he took off his jacket and threw it to the side. "...How about one last spare under the moon, fox!!"

"Humph. You're on, shadow fighter!" Rena exclaimed vigorously and threw off her coat.

Then the two prepared from their last sparring match under the light of a full moon.

(The next day...afternoon)

"This thing wouldn't just stop itching," Rena complained as she itched her glowing tattoo on her neck.

The fox was currently on route to Sho and Matt's dorm by the shadow fighter's request. The itching on the back of her neck had started about the time she had woken up and haven't stopped all day, in fact, it was getting worse with each passing hour.

"It must mean we're about to go back to our own time," Rika stated obviously from her hiding spot.

Rena would have made a remake at her cursed partner's obviousness if someone hadn't walked pass the foxes of the future, so instead, Rena just have to settle for an annoyed look. She came to the door of the fighters' dorm and just when she was about to knock when she thought she heard something like mumbled voice. Curious, the humanoid fox place her ear to the door and strained to hear what was behind it. She could make out the familiar voices of her friends, but couldn't make out what they were saying. After another second of getting nothing, Rena pulled away from the door and just opened it. She walked into dorm and there was nothing by total darkness.

_Now this is weird, even for those two,_ Rena thought as she looked for the light switch. _Now where that switch? Got it._

She flipped on the lights and she was meant with a big...

"SURPRISE!!!

Rena blinked twice. In front of her was her three best friends, all standing around the desk with one of those small, round cakes on it. The cake was covered in yellow icing and had in bald red letters "We'll never forget you, Rena."

The disguised fox felt something rare filling into her eyes. Tears. Rena was dangerously close crying and there was only a few times she had ever done that.

"What is all of this?" Rena was flattered and she wasn't putting on an act for once.

Matt walked up to her and Rena noticed for the first time, that he was wearing a completely different suit of clothes. Instead of the clothes Rena was used to seeing, the shadow fighter was now wearing a pair of nice black pants and a white dress shirt. Rena looked around and realized that all of her friends were dress a little more fancy then normal. Sho was wearing clothes like Matt, but his pants were tan and his shirt was green. Rumiko was wearing a silk, once piece, sleeveless dress and her face had just a touch of makeup on it.

"Well, Fox, this is our way of showing you just how important you are to us," Matt said and gave Rena his casual smile that was at the same time caring.

"Yeah, so why don't we dig into this yummy cake," Sho said eagerly, eyeing the cake hungrily.

"Sho, behave," Rumiko scolded and light slapped him on the back of the head. "This party is for Rena and not for feeding your bottomless gut."

Matt chuckled lightly as he walked up to his future wife and patted her on the shoulder. "Can you really blame the guy? I mean we all were in the store as Takehiro was making the thing and it smell so good, I was thinking about taking a small bite myself," he said in a light hearted voice.

Rumiko glared at her future husband for a moment then dropped her eyes and said," I know, it just my stomach at the time when I feel like I'm about throw up my guts and I don't feel like eating much of anything at the time."

Matt smiled lightly ands patted Rumiko's shoulder again," Wildcat, you know I'll save a piece for you to try when you're up to it."

Rumiko rubbed her check against Matt's hand and mumbled a thank you. Matt smiled lovingly at Rumiko and then turned to the group.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let get this party staring!!" the shadow fighter exclaimed.

"Yeah!!" the group screamed and threw they fist into the air.

(Later)

Some time later, half of the cake was gone and now the group was sitting around the desk, telling stories about their earlier days while drinking either soda or cherry energy.

"You should have seen it, Rumiko," Rena said humorously. "Matt was walking down the hall of the school when suddenly he tripped because he didn't notice the wet floor or the sigh telling about it."

Sho and Rumiko began laughing so hard that Sho fill out of his chair and held his aching sides. Matt just crossed his arms and looked away, trying to fight off the embarrassing blush that was threatening him.

"It wasn't that bad," he mumbled. "I was thinking about a math problem, that's all."

"Right, and the fact that it was the anniversary of your meeting Rumiko had never to do with it," Rena said in a sly voice and a mischievous gin.

Sho was still laughing from early that his face was starting to turn into a light shade of blue. Matt looked at Sho a little angrily before looking at Rena with a completely calm face.

"And how about the time, you walked into the boy's locker room?" he asked, but his eye were glistening with revenge. "And I guess you weren't thinking about your old flame, Guil, now were you?"

Rena was got off guard by the sudden question and couldn't think of a comeback and that resulted in a tomato red blush to spread across her cheeks.

"Well, Fox, I'm waiting," Matt said slyly while a smug grin settled on his face.

"Ummm," Rena was still unable to think of any kind of remark just did the first thing that came to her mind, which was to cross her arms and turned her head to the right. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right," Matt said sarcastically and his smug grin turned into a smile of triumph.

From her hiding place, Rika's sides were vibrating from all the laughter she had to hold in. She leaned forward enough so she was next to Rena's ear, but still concealed from sight.

"You know he's right, Renamon," the cursed tamer said in the same mischievous voice as her father. "I was with you that time and I know for a fact, that you were thinking about dinoboy."

Rena gave her cursed partner a sideway glare and raised her hand into her hair. She was planning on whacking Rika lightly in the head, when suddenly her tattoo began itching like crazy and she charged her course to the tattoo. The disguised fox scratched it like crazy, but it wouldn't stop. In fact, this strange tingling sensation began going down her entire body.

_Now's what going on?_ Rena wondered as she continued to itch her tattoo. _This thing is starting to drive me crazy and now I feel like my entire body is in one of these massages chair. Wait, could this be it? Could it be time for me to go back?_

She looked at the clock, located on the dresser between Sho and Matt's bed and saw that it was about 4:58. She then looked at Matt with a serious expression.

"Matt, I know this is going to sound weird, but do you remember at what time you fond me?" She asked as calmly as possible.

"Hmm," Matt looked towards the clock and did the math in his head. He looked back at Rena and said," Well I think it was somewhere around 5:15."

_That's has to be it!_ Rena screamed in her mind. _When the clock strikes the time, I came here; I will be hauled back to my own time period!_

"Why do you want to know about when I find you?" Matt asked in slight curiousness.

"No reason," Rena said and gave a small weak smile that almost instantly turned into a frown. "Listen guys, I don't know how to tell you this, but-"

"You're father's here to get you and we have been holding you up?" Matt interrupted in a calm voice.

Rena looked at her friend, nodded and then hanged her head. "Well, it something like that and I haven't packed yet."

"Do you want help?" Rumiko offered nicely.

Rena shack her head, refusing to look at her friends as she said," Well, actually I haven't packed yet because my father doesn't want to wear normal street clothes, so I'm leaving them to you guys. Do whatever you like with them and I such be going now."

The three just nodded and all of them stood up. Rena then shack hands with Sho from a quick second and then shared a friendly hug with Rumiko. Finally Rena looked at Matt and the shadow fighter held out his hand while flashing his trademark smile. Rena managed a weak smile as she took her friend's hand into her own. Then quicker then Rena know, she was drew into a tight hug by her friend.

"Let the one you love embrace you as I did Rumiko," he whispered into Rena's ears.

Unable to form words, Rena just acknowledged her friend's words by returning the hug. The two stayed like that for about a minute before Rena pulled herself and looked at the person who was like family. Tarring her eyes away, Rena quickly ran out the door without another word, but words wouldn't need for something like this. Everyone in the room knew, that this was the last time they would ever see Rena Kamiya.

(With Rena)

The disguised fox ran with all of her might, far, far from the college. She didn't want anyone to see as she sucked up into a vortex and have someone questioned her friends.

_Matthew Smith. He's a man even before turning 10 and yet, his soul is still pure. Sho Nonaka. He was another who was a man before his time, but still had a heart of gold. I will miss you both,_ Rena thought sadly, her blonde hair shadowing her eyes.

She finally came to stop when she was far away from the college and out of watching eyes. She collapsed to her hands and knees. The power of her tattoo was getting even worse then before and it has been numbing her body for a while now, but didn't want to stop until she was as far away from the college a she could. Rena took Rika out of her hiding spot and began stroking her fur just as Matt did to Rumiko.

"Renamon, are you crying?" the cursed tamer asked when she felt something wet hit her fur.

"Of course, I'm crying, little one," Rena replied, lifting her head so Rika could see the tear streaming down her partner's face. "I will miss by brothers dearly. Haha, it's actually funny when you look at it. Digimon don't have brothers or sisters and yet, I feel like those two back there are my brothers and because of them, I now can feel the one I love with new courage."

Rika looked up at her partner and understood what she was saying. So she didn't say a word, just snuggled into Rena's warm arms. The former digimon looked down at her cursed tamer and let a relied, yet tired smile grace her lips. Rena closed her eyes and waited for the magic to begin.

She didn't have to wait long because the tattoo on the back of her neck began pulsing and a minute later, the tattoo shattered, releasing its magic in the form of blue, glittering dust. The dust circled around Rena's entire body once and then swirled into the sky, where the portal, leading back to the future, opened. The portal began pulling the fox up and this time; she didn't fight instead she wants willingly into the portal. The portal closed up behind the humanoid digimon and thus that was the last anyone would ever see of Rena Kamiya, the first person to befriend the toughest human on the face of the world.

(Inside the void)

As Rena traveled through the colored rings of time, she could feel the magic she was bestowed upon the first time she traveled thought time itself, being lifted. But she barely notices the pain; her mind was to focus on the friends she had to leave behind.

_I wished I know what happened between my time and now?_ Rena wondered to herself.

Then as if answering her, the black void in front of the changing fox opened up, reveling what appeared to be a wedding. Looking up, Rena saw as Matthew Smith slipped the wedding bond onto the slender finger of his new wife, Rumiko Makino Smith. All of the immediate family was there with Sango and Seiko in the front role, both with tears of joy in their eyes. Sho Nonaka was right at the front of it all as Matt's best man and he couldn't look happier for his friends, then he did now.

"You both had to suffer through so much, it nice to know you both fond happiness, even if it's just for a moment," Rena whispered sadly to herself.

As the fox watched this event play out, she didn't notice that her clothes were began to fuse with her human skin and turned from cloth to fur.

The scene changed and now Sho, Sango and Seiko were all in a waiting room of a hospital. All looked worried because this was the time of the newest member of the family to come into life and each how their own fears. Finally after nearly 18 hours of waiting, the door to the operation room flow opened and out walked a very tired looking, yet happy Matt. And though no words came out of the shadow fighter's mouth, Rena understood he had said," We have a beautiful and healthy baby girl." Hearing that, everyone in the room, immediately relaxed and began bombarding Matt with thousands of questions. Matt answered them to the best of his power and then came the big one. Seiko asked if they could see the newest member of the family and Matt gladly said yes. He then lid them to the room were, Rumiko was holding a white bundle and humming to it softly. When she noticed the others in the room, she smiled tiredly and told everyone to see the baby. Being careful as they crowds around the bed, Seiko, Sango and Sho saw a young baby girl with just a punch of red hair on her head and violet colored eyes, staring at everyone in innocence. She then looked at her father with her violet eyes and Matt's own violet eyes meant with love and warmth.

"You're just as cute as you where then, little one," Rena whispered into the sleeping cursed tamer's ears, causing them to twitch slightly. Rika had fallen asleep almost instantly after entering the rings of time.

As this all took place, Rena's feet fused with her sneakers and formed into paw-like toes with claw pointing out the ends of the toes and her heels rising off the ground. The cliffs of her legs ballooned out slightly with new muscles forming and the familiar symbols painted themselves onto the legs.

Rena looked back up and notice the scene had once again changed. The happy couple with their now one-year-old daughter returned from home from a family outing to a concern and worried Seiko. Rumiko asked what was wrong with her mother and Seiko just gave Matt a note without saying a word. Confused, the shadow fighter read the note to himself. His eyes suddenly widened in shock for about a second and then they became set in anger. He then clumped the note and threw it to the ground before melding into the shadow.

Confused, Rumiko looked towards her mother, who still remained quiet and then handed Rika to her. She then picked up the note and smoothed it out. She looked at the note and gasped loudly. On the note, read," I need to settle a score with you. The great one."

It was painfully obviously to anyone who knew him, but Kai had sent that note as a challenge to the shadow fighter. And speaking of the said fighter, he just appeared aside his wife, dressed in his trademark battle clothes. Rumiko knew what her husband was thinking and bagged him not to go. Matt refused to talk; instead he just took Rumiko in a loving hug and still remains quiet. They stayed like that for untold minutes and when Matt finally broke free, he patted his baby girl on the head once and smiled a little sadly. He then lifted without saying a word and walked out to the street, where Sho was mysterious waiting him. The two looked at each other and with a simple nod, they lifted the house.

"It must have been hard for you to leave, but you know this has be done," Rena said, sobbing and closing her eyes tight.

Rena's shirtsleeves morphed into her gloves as her fingers fused together to became paws with claws. Those arrow like objects burst from her shoulders, but she still didn't feel a thing. Finally her body curved out a bit more as her vest fused with the rest of her body and the small patch of fur appeared over her beasts.

Rena was almost afraid to look, but knew she had to look. So, she slowly looked up and noticed that Matt was facing Kai now. The shadow fighter was asking the sorcerer to back down, but he wouldn't and force Matt to act. Matt moved quicker then the Kai could see, but Rena saw it because she was out of the time itself. She saw as her friend took out a ring, specially made incase Matt ever ran into Kai again and he punched the evil sorcerer, leaving the thunderbolt shape mark in his cheek.

Thus, the final fight between the shadow fighter and his evil brother-law began with Matt walking all over Kai, but soon the evil sorcerer got tricky and pulled out those poisoned tagged daggers and began throwing them at Matt. Matt dodged the daggers with the grace of a dancer and Kai just kept throwing them. Eventually, Kai landed a hit on Matt's knee, slowing the fighter down enough for Kai to pump more poison into Matt, leaving him helpless. That's when Kai got cocky and made the mistake that would cast him dearly. He threatened Matt's family, right in Matt's face. Well that got Matt mad and his tattoo began glowing in response from all the emotion it owner was feeling. But unlike most time, the tattoo glowed a pitch black and that light spread to all corners of Matt's body, giving him the strength to stand and continue to the fight. Then the picture vanished, surprising Rena greatly.

"No! Wait! Please, let me see the end of this!" Rena screamed as her voice returned to it originally patch and she held out her paw. Her face became more pointed as her hair flowed over it, fusing with it and becoming fur. Her eyes shrunk slightly and the scars under her eyes returned to their originally colors and her human ears melded into her skull, her fox ears returning to their originally place on the tops of her head. Finally she notice all of the pain her body was taking and blacked out from the suddenly overload of pain

(...)

Renamon moaned as she slowly worked her way back to consciousness. The first thing she noticed as she began somewhat aware was that she could smell things better. She could also hear her surrounding better too and she could feel the grass under her fur. She lifted her hand and looked at her gloved paw.

_Was it just a dream? Did I really dream all of that? _Renamon wondered to herself, turning her paw over.

"You know, Matt said when he first found you, you slept for about two hours...Rena," a familiar voice said lightly.

Bolting up right, Renamon turned to the source of the voice and looked at the adult Rumiko. She was dressed in the usual cloths Renamon was used to and she was holding a sleeping Rika.

"You just called me Rena, so that means..." The shock was all too much for the stern digimon and she lost her voice.

"Yes, Rena, you did go 18 years into the past and meant by husband and Rika's father," Rumiko said in a low semi solemn tone, like saying the person she loved brought her pain.

Renamon got to her feet, automatically readjusting to her digimon body and walked over to her friend. She patted Rumiko on the shoulder and said, reassuringly," You know, Matt always did say never to keep emotions buried for long."

"Hehe," Rumiko hanged her head, so her hair was shadowing her eyes. "When you lifted, I lost the one of the three person who saw me for who I was and not just some model who only cared for her looks. But when I saw you, Renamon, I knew right away who you were and killed me to wait for you to know who you were."

"Sometime it still hard to believe that I was there, that I meant the two who helped shaped Rika into the person she is today," Renamon said.

Rumiko looked at her friend for a moment before taking a small photo out of her right jacket pocket. She held it out for Renamon as she said," Do you remember when this was taken?"

Renamon take the photo and looked at it. The picture was of the old gang. Matt was in the center and had his arms around Rumiko and Sho, while Renamon in her human form stood off to the right, part of the picture and yet distance from the others. "This was taken a week before we want to that nightclub that changed all of our lives." And held out the picture for Rumiko to take back.

"That was the copy meant for you, Rena," Rumiko said, refusing to the photo. "Matt made copies for himself, Sho, Me and you."

Renamon looked at the picture for more time before slipping in one of her gloves. "If you don't mind, I'll like to take a run and I would like it if you came with me."

"No thanks, I have things to do," Rumiko said softly and then stood up. She began walking into the house, but stopped mid-way and looked at Renamon. "You have been gone for nearly four days, Rena. Guilmon has been worried sick about you. Why don't you dropped by his house and tell him and Takato, that you and Rika are okay."

With that said, the model/fighter disappeared into the house. Renamon stood there for about a minute, letting the wind caress through her fur, a feeling she had miss for nearly four years before she bent at the knees and jumped into the air. She landed on the fence of the house and looked forward with her piercing blue eyes.

_Yes, I will go to the one I love with all of my heart, but first I need to take care of a small tack,_ She said to herself and jumped from the fence, vanishing in her trademark way.

From the fence where Renamon was just moments ago, a familiar ghostly figure watch as the fox vanished into thin air. His right, dark blue jean leg was against the fence and his arms were cross over his whit shirt chest. An easy, almost casual smile was on the ghost's lips.

"_Yes, Rena, let the one you love embrace you tightly, just as I did to my wife,"_ The ghost of Matthew Smith mused softly to himself and then disappeared from sight.

(...)

Me: Well I'm finally done with this half of my series.

Rika (Sarcastically): Well excise me if I don't jump for joy, space for brains.

Me (Ignoring Rika): Well I'm glad that my partner wasn't awake as I wrote this.

Rika (Slightly angry at being ignored): And why is that, Space for brains?

Me: Because, if he were, I wouldn't have gotten this done.

Rika (Angry): Just get to your preview of your final story and let me get on with my life!

Me: Okay, okay, no need to bit my head off.

In-Training: The next level: Four more mouth had pass since, Renamon's little trapped into the past and now Kai had gotten his hands on the world's most dangerous spell and that could spell trouble for our little band of heroes.


End file.
